1
as in patience
the capacity to endure what is difficult or disagreeable without complaining
we thank you for your forbearance while we attend to the technical difficulties interrupting the TV program
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mercy
kind, gentle, or compassionate treatment especially towards someone who is undeserving of it
the judge showed forbearance, and gave the teenaged first offender a suspended sentence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forbearance
Irwin said families who survived the fires are nearing the end of their mortgage forbearance period.
—
Linh Tat, Daily News, 28 Feb. 2026
If eligible, the homeowner would be approved for an initial forbearance period of 180 days, which could later be extended for up to 12 months.
—Amancai Biraben, Oc Register, 27 Feb. 2026
In the summer of 2024, a federal appeals court issued an injunction blocking the program, resulting in millions of borrowers being placed in an involuntary forbearance that paused payments but also suspended any progress toward loan forgiveness.
—Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 27 Feb. 2026
With all of this in mind, Nevils regards the doubt that many people might feel about her story with a kind of forbearance bordering on the anthropological.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for forbearance
Linh Tat, Daily News, 28 Feb. 2026
If eligible, the homeowner would be approved for an initial forbearance period of 180 days, which could later be extended for up to 12 months.
—Amancai Biraben, Oc Register, 27 Feb. 2026
In the summer of 2024, a federal appeals court issued an injunction blocking the program, resulting in millions of borrowers being placed in an involuntary forbearance that paused payments but also suspended any progress toward loan forgiveness.
—Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 27 Feb. 2026
With all of this in mind, Nevils regards the doubt that many people might feel about her story with a kind of forbearance bordering on the anthropological.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for forbearance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forbearance
Noun
-
Hydration, barrier repair, sun protection and patience with active ingredients will take you further than any single miracle product ever could.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The key is consistency and patience.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Several of the women pleaded to be beheaded before the fire was lit and were granted this mercy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Behind Riverside’s Cheryl Miller, who as a teenager showed no mercy on her younger brother, Reggie Miller, the future NBA star, in pickup games, USC won the title in 1982 and 1983.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This film showcases the groundbreaking career of Barbara Walters, the first woman to anchor a network news broadcast, highlighting her transformation of journalism through powerful interviews and her ability to confront authority with empathy.—
Patrick Hipes,
Deadline,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Rue taught me so much about empathy and about redemption.—
G. Allen Johnson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forbearance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forbearance. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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