forswear

variants also foreswear

Synonym Chooser

How is the word forswear different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of forswear are abjure, recant, renounce, and retract. While all these words mean "to withdraw one's word or professed belief," forswear may add an implication of perjury or betrayal.

I cannot forswear my principles

When might abjure be a better fit than forswear?

The words abjure and forswear can be used in similar contexts, but abjure implies a firm and final rejecting or abandoning often made under oath.

abjured the errors of his former faith

When would recant be a good substitute for forswear?

While in some cases nearly identical to forswear, recant stresses the withdrawing or denying of something professed or taught.

if they recant they will be spared

When can renounce be used instead of forswear?

In some situations, the words renounce and forswear are roughly equivalent. However, renounce may carry the meaning of disclaim or disown.

renounced abstract art and turned to portrait painting

When is retract a more appropriate choice than forswear?

The synonyms retract and forswear are sometimes interchangeable, but retract applies to the withdrawing of a promise, an offer, or an accusation.

the newspaper had to retract the story

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 forswear The logic to this argument is that a democratic and pro-Western Iran would forswear nuclear weapons (and mean it) and back away from supporting proxies. Richard Haass, Foreign Affairs, 6 Jan. 2025 Imagine Roger Federer forswearing Wimbledon. Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2025 Saudi Arabia has also hedged its bets, refusing to forswear enrichment or reprocessing and maintaining an outdated arrangement with the International Atomic Energy Agency that limits the access of international inspectors. Eric Brewer, Foreign Affairs, 17 Nov. 2022 By the way, what the Russians are insisting on is that Ukraine forswears NATO membership forever. Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for forswear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forswear
Verb
  • The outlet also confirmed that Cooper's network renounced their rights to Hot Mess and that SiriusXM will no longer sell ads for the show.
    Skyler Caruso, People.com, 5 May 2025
  • Despite being entitled to a salary, Pope Francis renounced it, deciding to donate it instead.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • House Republicans passed a measure Thursday that would repeal the government’s decision to place California’s longfin smelt, a finger-sized fish, on the endangered species list.
    Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025
  • Sun Sentinel Bill to end limits on who can sue for medical malpractice stalls in Florida Senate The Florida Senate appeared on the verge Wednesday of passing a bill to repeal an exception in the state’s medical-malpractice laws.
    South Florida Sun Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, 1 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Forswear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forswear. Accessed 19 May. 2025.

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