forswear

verb

for·​swear fȯr-ˈswer 

variants or less commonly foreswear

forswore fȯr-ˈswȯr  ; forsworn fȯr-ˈswȯrn  ; forswearing

transitive verb

1

: to make a liar of (oneself) under or as if under oath

2

a

: to reject or renounce under oath

b

: to renounce earnestly

3

: to deny under oath

intransitive verb

: to swear falsely

Did you know?

Forswear (which is also sometimes spelled foreswear) is the modern English equivalent of Old English forswerian. It can suggest denial ("[Thou] would'st forswear thy own hand and seal" — John Arbuthnot, John Bull) or perjury ("Is it the interest of any man … to lie, forswear himself, indulge hatred, seek desperate revenge, or do murder?" — Charles Dickens, American Notes). But in current use, it most often has to do with giving something up, as in "The feuding parties agreed to forswear violence" and "She refused to forswear her principles."

Synonyms

• renounce
• repeal

Choose the Right Synonym for forswear

abjure, renounce, forswear, recant, retract mean to withdraw one's word or professed belief.

abjure implies a firm and final rejecting or abandoning often made under oath.

abjured the errors of his former faith

renounce may carry the meaning of disclaim or disown.

renounced abstract art and turned to portrait painting

forswear may add an implication of perjury or betrayal.

I cannot forswear my principles

recant stresses the withdrawing or denying of something professed or taught.

if they recant they will be spared

retract applies to the withdrawing of a promise, an offer, or an accusation.

the newspaper had to retract the story

Examples of forswear in a Sentence

She forswore her allegiance to the old regime.

He foreswore cigarettes as his New Year's resolution.

Recent Examples on the Web

Many women did so, forswearing British wares, spinning flax on town greens, and swapping handwritten patriotic verse while drinking herbal-tea substitutes. —Jane Kamensky, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025

The United States is faced with a choice: a world in which aggressive American coercion and U.S. hegemonic decline reinforce each other or one in which Washington realigns itself with other liberal-minded countries by forswearing the abuse of its unilateral powers. —Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025

Thus the Democrats have been at pains to forswear all of the lines of action that the present situation requires. —John Kenneth Galbraith, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025

Facing unprecedented pressure and dwindling options, Khamenei, who previously issued a fatwa forswearing the development of nuclear weapons, might consider weaponizing Iran’s nuclear program as its best form of protection. —Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English forsweren, from Old English forswerian, from for- + swerian to swear

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for forswear

• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare
• compare

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Kids Definition

forswear

verb

for·​swear

variants also foreswear

fȯr-ˈswa(ə)r,

fōr-,

-ˈswe(ə)r

forswore -ˈswō(ə)r 

-ˈswȯ(ə)r

; forsworn -ˈswō(ə)rn 

-ˈswȯ(ə)rn

; forswearing

: to make a false statement while under oath : commit perjury

Legal Definition

forswear

verb

for·​swear

fōr-ˈswar

forswore -ˈswōr  ; forsworn -ˈswōrn  ; forswearing

transitive verb

1

: to reject, renounce, or deny under oath

2

: to renounce earnestly

intransitive verb

: to swear falsely : commit false swearing