forsake

verb for·sake \ fər-ˈsāk , fȯr- \

Definition of forsake

forsook play \fər-ˈsu̇k, fȯr-\; forsaken play \fər-ˈsā-kən, fȯr-\; forsaking

transitive verb

:to renounce or turn away from entirely

friends have forsaken her

forsook the theater for politics

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Examples of forsake in a Sentence

forsaking most of our possessions, we evacuated just before the hurricane struck

Recent Examples of forsake from the Web

Grizzly bears on Alaska’s Kodiak Island are forsaking salmon and snacking on ____________ instead.

— rosa inocencio smith, The Atlantic, "The Atlantic Daily: Back to Backlash," 23 Aug. 2017
Young adults, who have traditionally been the prime bike buyers, are now forsaking motorcycle ownership.

— robert reed, chicagotribune.com, "Harley-Davidson on a bumpy ride with motorcycle-adverse millennials," 20 July 2017
Beyond his party and beyond his class this man forsook the few to serve the mass.

— cleveland.com, "Cleveland statue guide: Locate likenesses of historical figures throughout the city," 13 July 2017
Smith appeared to spend the first three quarters intent on scoring, forsaking the rest of his game.

— stephen schroats, star-telegram, "Dallas Mavericks reach Vegas quarterfinals behind Smith’s big night," 13 July 2017
Design pet peeves: Forsaking design and quality for the instant gratification of acquiring items to furnish a room.

— linda jerkins, ajc, "Roswell native one to watch in design field," 1 July 2017
In the interim though, the opportunity for Tidal to allow non-Sprint people sign up and get the album is being forsaken.

— dan deluca, Philly.com, "Hey Jay-Z, why can't I listen to your new album?," 1 July 2017
The Islamic State militant group posts beheadings on YouTube, American evangelicals forsake their Christian convictions for short-term political gains, Jewish settlers in the West Bank take land away from their Palestinian neighbors.

— alexander nazaryan, Newsweek, "Zohar's Translation Unlocks the Secrets of Jewish Mysticism in an Age of Extremism," 28 June 2017
Since the Supreme Court’s landmark Afroyim v. Rusk decision in 1967, American citizenship is generally irrevocable unless its bearer explicitly chooses to forsake it.

— matt ford, The Atlantic, "The Supreme Court Defends the Integrity of U.S. Citizenship," 22 June 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of forsake

Middle English, from Old English forsacan, from for- + sacan to dispute; akin to Old English sacu action at law — more at sake

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

forsake Synonyms

Synonyms

abandon, desert, leave, maroon, quit, strand

Antonyms

reclaim

Related Words

discard, ditch, dump, fling, jettison, junk, scrap, shed, shuck (off), throw away, throw out; deliver, give up, hand over, relinquish, surrender, yield; escape, retreat (from), take off (from), vacate, withdraw (from); abjure, cut off, disown, reject, renounce, repudiate, separate (from); sacrifice; distance; disregard, forget, ignore, neglect

Near Antonyms

harbor, have, hold, keep, own, possess, reserve, retain, withhold; redeem, rescue, save

Synonym Discussion of forsake

abandon, desert, forsake mean to leave without intending to return. abandon suggests that the thing or person left may be helpless without protection.