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

; forgoes

fȯr-ˈgōz

transitive verb

1

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

… never forwent an opportunity of honest profit …

—Robert Louis Stevenson

decided to forgo dessert for a few days …

2

archaic : forsake

forgoer

fȯr-ˈgō-ər 

noun

Synonyms of forgo

• 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

Yes, winters are cold and foggy, but retirees who don’t want to forgo metropolitan amenities, such as theatres, museums, and festivals, should look to this northern city. —Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2025

Visit off-the-tourist-trail destinations If possible, try to forgo some of the classic holiday travel destinations in favor of some off-the-tourist-trail locations. —AFAR Media, 31 Oct. 2025

Dining out is a luxury that many Gen Zers and millennials who are trying to pay their bills forgo. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2025

That would mean forgoing the current maps drawn by a 14-member group comprising five Republicans, five Democrats and four commissioners not affiliated with the two major parties. —Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 28 Oct. 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