Synonyms of forget

forget

verb

fər-ˈget 

1

as in to miss

to be unable to recall or think of

I forget exactly on which street that the house is

Synonyms & Similar Words

• miss
• lose
• disremember
• unlearn
• ignore
• blank
• disregard
• neglect
• misremember
• overlook
• pass over
• slight
• slur (over)
• overpass

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• remember
• think (of)
• recall
• recollect
• reminisce (about)
• remind
• mind
• hark back (to)
• flash back (to)
• hearken back (to)
• harken back (to)

2

as in to ignore

to fail to give proper attention to

she promised not to forget her high school friends after she went off to college

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ignore
• overlook
• miss
• neglect
• disregard
• pass over
• bypass
• slight
• omit
• reject
• slur (over)
• fail
• overpass
• skimp
• slough (off)
• disdain
• brush (aside or off)
• shrug off
• sluff (off)
• pooh-pooh
• scorn
• scant

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• tend (to)
• attend (to)
• appreciate
• remember
• mind
• regard
• heed
• treasure
• prize
• value
• nurse
• cultivate
• cherish
• foster
• follow
• watch
• listen (to)
• notice
• note
• nurture
• observe
• mark
• pamper
• remark

3

as in to neglect

to leave undone or unattended to especially through carelessness

he forgot the pot boiling on the stove

Synonyms & Similar Words

• neglect
• shirk
• slack (off)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• remember
• do
• attend (to)
• perform
• carry out
• achieve
• accomplish
• execute
• maintain
• keep up

4

as in to fail

to miss the opportunity or obligation

I forgot to call on his birthday

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fail
• neglect
• omit
• ignore
• miss out on
• disregard
• overlook
• pass over
• skip
• slight
• pretermit
• slide
• slip
• default
• overpass

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• remember
• keep
• mind
• do
• observe
• perform
• carry out
• practice
• heed
• meet
• execute
• satisfy
• fulfill
• comply (with)
• discharge

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

Recent Examples of forget

Yet the story of how an Australian designer came to play a key role in a Chanel collection that, despite being largely forgotten, was one of the most significant in its entire history has, until now, never been fully told. — Luke Leitch, Vogue, 3 Nov. 2026

But don’t forget the big guns, movies of scale and scope that wowed audiences earlier in the year. — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 3 Nov. 2026

The office oversees payroll for state employees, audits agencies that spend taxpayer money and handles property that Californians have forgotten about or do not know is theirs. — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2026

And don’t forget the races for the Illinois General Assembly. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026

Phrases Containing forget

• forget oneself
• forgive and forget