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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forbearance
System-wide capital adequacy ratios remained above regulatory minimums only through regulatory forbearance that terminated in January 2026.
—
Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
But millions of student loan borrowers in default risked seeing their wages garnished and tax refunds seized, as the long forbearance program that began during the COVID-19 pandemic unwinds and debt collection involving tax refunds and wages resumed.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
Most lenders limit forbearance to 12 months under a California law that expanded an emergency agreement the state had reached with banks in January 2025.
—Maxwell Adler, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2026
What To Know While 8 million borrowers were enrolled in SAVE, they were put in involuntary forbearance for 15 months because of the ongoing litigation.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forbearance
Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
But millions of student loan borrowers in default risked seeing their wages garnished and tax refunds seized, as the long forbearance program that began during the COVID-19 pandemic unwinds and debt collection involving tax refunds and wages resumed.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
Most lenders limit forbearance to 12 months under a California law that expanded an emergency agreement the state had reached with banks in January 2025.
—Maxwell Adler, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2026
What To Know While 8 million borrowers were enrolled in SAVE, they were put in involuntary forbearance for 15 months because of the ongoing litigation.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forbearance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forbearance
Noun
-
Chapman acknowledges that early growth required patience, particularly in building trust with PEO carriers, but as credibility expanded, the company developed a national network capable of supporting industries ranging from construction and healthcare to professional services and manufacturing.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 When goals call your name, patience becomes your ally.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Gustavo Ramirez had a grand slam last week in a mercy-rule win over Granada Hills Kennedy.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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Ivey had faced a growing chorus of voices asking for mercy for Burton, 75, including the victim’s daughter, who published an op-ed in the Montgomery Advertiser urging Ivey to spare his life.—
Abigail Brooks,
NBC news,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
On the right, there are varying degrees of empathy for those simply caught up in the immigration dragnets.—
Bob Ehrlich,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Mar. 2026
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Playing the title role of a linguistics professor who faces changes and prepares her family for what's to come as the disease takes hold, Moore navigates the character arc with honesty and heart-tugging empathy.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forbearance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forbearance. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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