forgo

verb

for·​go fȯr-ˈgō 

variants or less commonly forego

forwent fȯr-ˈwent  ; forgone fȯr-ˈgȯn 

 also  -ˈgän

; forgoing fȯr-ˈgō-iŋ 

-ˈgȯ(-)iŋ

transitive verb

1

: to give up the enjoyment or advantage of : do without

never forwent an opportunity of honest profit

—R. L. Stevenson

decided to forgo dessert for a few days

2

archaic : forsake

forgoer

fȯr-ˈgō-ər 

noun

Synonyms

• avoid

Examples of forgo in a Sentence

She is planning to forgo her right to a trial and simply plead guilty.

I'll forgo dessert tonight—I'm trying to lose weight.

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s another shift from 2017: The new guidelines also recommend forgoing alcohol. —Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025

In 2024, Taiwan recorded about 135,000 births—a record low and the ninth straight annual decline—as more couples delay or forgo children. —Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025

This requires the agency to tally the costs avoided and the benefits forgone from the action. —James Broughel, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025

The study also found that forgoing baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes in favor of refined grains like white rice actually increased the risk of type 2 diabetes, highlighting the importance of choosing whole grains over refined carbohydrates. —Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 7 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English forgān to pass by, forgo, from for- + gān to go

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for forgo

• acknow
• aglow
• ago
• airglow
• aloe
• altho
• although
• ammo
• backflow
• backhoe
• banjo
• barbeau

Kids Definition

forgo

verb

for·​go

variants also forego

fȯr-ˈgō,

fōr-

forwent

-ˈwent

; forgone -ˈgȯn 

 also  -ˈgän

; forgoing -ˈgō-iŋ 

: to let pass

forgo an opportunity

: go without

forgo lunch