forget

verb

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for·get | \ fər-ˈget

, fȯr- \

forgot\ fər-ˈgät

, fȯr- \; forgotten\ fər-ˈgä-tᵊn

, fȯr- \ or forgot; forgetting

Definition of forget

transitive verb

1a : to lose the remembrance of : be unable to think of or recall I forget his name

b obsolete : to cease from doing

2 : to treat with inattention or disregard forgot their old friends He's now a forgotten hero.

3a : to disregard intentionally : overlook —usually used in the imperativeI shouldn't have said that, so just forget it

b : to give up hope for or expectation of —usually used in the imperativeas for prompt service, forget it

intransitive verb

1 : to cease remembering or noticing forgive and forget

2 : to fail to become mindful at the proper time forgot about paying the bill

forget oneself

: to lose one's dignity, temper, or self-control She forgot herself because of the liquor she had drunk. So infuriated him that he forgot himself and had a tantrum.

Other Words from forget Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about forget

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Choose the Right Synonym for forget

neglect, disregard, ignore, overlook, slight, forget mean to pass over without giving due attention. neglect implies giving insufficient attention to something that merits one's attention. habitually neglected his studies disregard suggests voluntary inattention. disregarded the wishes of his family ignore implies a failure to regard something obvious. ignored the snide remark overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care. in my rush I overlooked a key example slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting. slighted several major authors in her survey forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind. forget what others say

Examples of forget in a Sentence

I keep forgetting her name. The pain and misery are impossible to forget. She forgot how to set up the tent. I'll never forget the first time we met. Don't forget that you have to turn off the light when you leave. “Did you pay the bill?” “I forgot.” He's now a forgotten hero. He's a forgotten man in the world of politics. If you're hoping to hear from him soon, forget it, it's not going to happen. Forget about finding a way to escape—there's no way out of here.

Recent Examples on the Web Don't forget your mask, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. — USA Today, "Keep your distance: How to stay safe from coronavirus at the pool and at the beach," 27 May 2020 Don’t forget to see all sides during these 360 tours with Virtually Visiting. — National Geographic, "10 ways to get your travel fix from home," 29 Apr. 2020 Her mother and stepfather’s cat has a tendency to play in the toilets, so bathroom doors in the house are supposed to remain closed — a rule that Ms. Fattori occasionally forgets because her own cat does not have a lavatory fixation. — Tiffany Hsu, New York Times, "Young Adults Take Refuge in Parents’ Empty Nests," 15 May 2020 And why risk riling up Palestinians—now divided, weak and dysfunctional when the world seems to have all but forgotten them? — Aaron David Miller, Time, "To Annex or Not to Annex: What Will Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Do Next?," 13 May 2020 Companies pay back their loans, and all is forgiven and forgotten. — Jesse Eisinger, ProPublica, "The Bailout Is Working — For the Rich," 10 May 2020 Don't forget social distancing Social distancing has been a focus of park workers, Will said. — Laura Schulte, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Wisconsin state parks are open again, and thousands are enjoying the outdoors -- despite some trouble with annual passes," 7 May 2020 If a passenger forgets a mask, the airline will provide one. — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, "Flying During Coronavirus: How Airlines Are Changing Their In-Flight Rules," 5 May 2020 If not for a Google search of the artist’s name, Enwonwu’s portrait Christine, would still be hanging almost-forgotten in a family home in Texas. — Ciku Kimeria, Quartz Africa, "The remarkable resurgence of Ben Enwonwu who was already Africa’s greatest contemporary artist," 3 May 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'forget.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.