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as in to neglect
to leave undone or unattended to especially through carelessness he forgot the pot boiling on the stove

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word forget distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of forget are disregard, ignore, neglect, overlook, and slight. While all these words mean "to pass over without giving due attention," forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind.

forget what others say

When can disregard be used instead of forget?

While in some cases nearly identical to forget, disregard suggests voluntary inattention.

disregarded the wishes of his family

When could ignore be used to replace forget?

The words ignore and forget can be used in similar contexts, but ignore implies a failure to regard something obvious.

ignored the snide remark

When might neglect be a better fit than forget?

In some situations, the words neglect and forget are roughly equivalent. However, neglect implies giving insufficient attention to something that merits one's attention.

habitually neglected his studies

When would overlook be a good substitute for forget?

Although the words overlook and forget have much in common, overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care.

in my rush I overlooked a key example

Where would slight be a reasonable alternative to forget?

The synonyms slight and forget are sometimes interchangeable, but slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting.

slighted several major authors in her survey

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of forget But don't forget the online shopping option! Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Oct. 2025 Don’t forget to add The Laundress’ handy laundry measuring cup to cart. Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025 Don't forget the iconic voluminous blowouts. Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 23 Oct. 2025 According to Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor, Ball could have such a notable impact that Cavs fans may forget about Ty Jerome, who left in free agency. Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for forget
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forget
Verb
  • Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
    Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
  • As head coach Enzo Maresca made clear after the game, Palmer’s stardust will always be missed but Estevao is helping fill the void.
    Simon Johnson, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Over the summer the FDA convened a panel on the safety of certain antidepressants in pregnancy that tried to cast doubt on this research, ignoring the real harms of not treating depression or anxiety for pregnant people themselves and for their fetuses.
    Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 23 Oct. 2025
  • But the writers, like Noah and Joanne, are ignoring that fundamental fork in the road in favor of inane high jinks from the couple and their increasingly irksome friends and family.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Now, the department's union is joining calls for more funding, saying the city has neglected for years to fund repairs and maintenace.
    David Clarey, jsonline.com, 21 Oct. 2025
  • The Wisconsin native was charged with repairing bridges within the department, campus and community that Addazio had neglected or damaged.
    Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM, said in a blog post on Wednesday that the currency intervention has failed and predicted a 15%-30% plunge for the peso is highly likely if voters reject Milei again.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Congress failed to pass a budget or temporary funding measure before the federal fiscal year ended on October 1, forcing many federal agencies to cease all non-mandatory operations.
    Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • All the original Hinas on Kele had to assume Jason was toast if new Hina lost, so why not even the score by losing and taking out an original Uli in Shannon instead?
    Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025
  • No team in the Championship has lost more than the nine points Wrexham have dropped from a winning position this term, a damaging trait that began on the opening day at Southampton when two stoppage-time goals turned a 1-0 win into a dramatic loss.
    Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Pickleball wasn’t common before 2014, and database text fields were shorter before 2019, possibly omitting earlier cases.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2025
  • The father, who requested his name be omitted from this article, declined to comment.
    Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Forget.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forget. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.

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