forget

verb for·get \ fər-ˈget , fȯr- \

|Updated on: 12 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: forget in a Sentence

Definition of forget

forgot play \fər-ˈgät, fȯr-\; forgotten play \fər-ˈgä-tᵊn, fȯr-\ or forgot; forgetting

transitive verb

1 a : 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.

3 a : to disregard intentionally : overlook —usually used in the imperative

I shouldn't have said that, so just forget it

b : to give up hope for or expectation of —usually used in the imperative

as 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

—

forgetter

noun

— 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.

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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 of forget from the Web

And if anyone forgot that, Tuesday’s news that FBI agents had arrested an ex-Apple engineer en route to China, charging him with stealing blueprints of the company’s autonomous vehicle circuit board, reminded them.

— aarian marshall, WIRED, "Home From the Honeymoon, the Self-Driving Car Industry Faces Reality," 13 July 2018
There was that time last March when star Jeremy Swift revealed that the cast had been sent a script that suddenly disappeared, and then last June when NBCUniversal International Studios confirmed the film...but forgot to tell the cast.

— kathryn lindsay, refinery29.com, "The Downton Abbey Movie Is Finally Happening & All Your Favorite Characters Are Back," 13 July 2018
But one thing above all others explains the current mess: the Conservative Party, or large chunks of it, has forgotten the basic principles of conservatism.

— The Economist, "The Conservative Party has trashed the basic principles of conservatism," 12 July 2018
While the world celebrates the rescue of the Wild Boars, Mirza said the dangers of cave diving and importance of safety often are forgotten.

— billy kobin, Indianapolis Star, "Hoosier cave diving experts: 'Never heard of anything' like Thailand rescue," 12 July 2018
Putting Ruth down, or making Ruth miss her date, these are little manipulative ways for Debbie to not feel so alone and forgotten by the world.

— emma dibdin, Harper's BAZAAR, "Glow's Betty Gilpin: "Even Women with $200 Lotion and Perfect Eyebrows Are Crying in Their Bathrooms"," 9 July 2018
One thing most of us forget is that estimates for harvest are for gradually lengthening days, not shortening days, so the days for fall crop may be more numerous than for a spring or summer crop.

— margaret lauterbach, idahostatesman, "Gardening: It’s summertime and 90-plus degrees, but think about fall harvest now," 6 July 2018
The collective Ferg belongs to, ASAP Mob, is as guilty of contributing to the homogeneity as any other mainstream rap act—their worst material is instantly forgotten amid the Soundcloud playlists swelling with new rap tracks.

— leor galil, Chicago Reader, "ASAP Ferg shows he’s the real boss in ASAP Mob," 5 July 2018
And that necklace will keep her from ever forgetting Caylee.

— steve helling, PEOPLE.com, "Casey Anthony No Longer Wears Her Daughter's Ashes Around Her Neck — But Her Mom Still Does," 4 July 2018

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.

Origin and Etymology of forget

Middle English, from Old English forgietan, from for- + -gietan (akin to Old Norse geta to get)

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

forget Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of 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.