forget

verb

for·​get fər-ˈget 

fȯr-

forgot fər-ˈgät 

fȯr-

; forgotten fər-ˈgä-tᵊn 

fȯr-

or forgot; forgetting

transitive verb

1

a

: to lose the remembrance of : be unable to think of or recall

I forget his name.

b

: to fail to remember to bring or take

I forgot my wallet.

c

obsolete : to cease from doing

2

: to treat with inattention or disregard

forgot their old friends

He's now a forgotten hero.

They told jokes … that made Chona laugh and forget the pain.

—James McBride

—often used with about

Your plants need care; don't forget about them.

3

a

: to disregard intentionally : overlook

—usually used in the imperative

I shouldn't have said that, so just forget it.

—often used with about

Forget about the trip. We can't afford it.

b

: to give up hope for or expectation of

—usually used in the imperative

As for prompt service, forget it.

intransitive verb

1

: to cease remembering or noticing

It's time to forgive and forget.

2

: to fail to become mindful at the proper time

forgot about paying the bill

forgetter noun

Phrases

forget oneself

: to lose one's dignity, temper, or self-control

She forgot herself and said things she later regretted.

So infuriated him that he forgot himself and had a tantrum.

Synonyms of forget

• miss
• lose

Choose the Right Synonym for forget

neglect, disregard, ignore, overlook, slight, forget mean to pass over without giving due attention.

neglect implies giving insufficient attention to something that merits one's attention.

habitually neglected his studies

disregard suggests voluntary inattention.

disregarded the wishes of his family

ignore implies a failure to regard something obvious.

ignored the snide remark

overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care.

in my rush I overlooked a key example

slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting.

slighted several major authors in her survey

forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind.

forget what others say

Examples of forget in a Sentence

I keep forgetting her name.

The pain and misery are impossible to forget.

She forgot how to set up the tent.

I'll never forget the first time we met.

Don't forget that you have to turn off the light when you leave.

“Did you pay the bill?” “I forgot.”

He's now a forgotten hero.

He's a forgotten man in the world of politics.

If you're hoping to hear from him soon, forget it, it's not going to happen.

Forget about finding a way to escape—there's no way out of here.

Recent Examples on the Web

But will bringing back David Arquette, Neve Campbell, and other legacy actors be enough to make audiences forget about Melissa Barrera’s firing? —Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025

When vacuuming, don’t forget small spaces under the oven, between the counter and fridge, and areas under furniture that are likely to trap dirt. —Kelsey Mulvey, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025

The new normal is forgetting yesterday’s scandals in order to make room in our overcrowded brains for tomorrow’s. —Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2025

Don't forget to talk about online financial safety either. —Melissa Willets, Parents, 30 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English forgietan, from for- + -gietan (akin to Old Norse geta to get)

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing forget

• forget-me-not
• lest we forget

Rhymes for forget

• abet
• asset
• baguette
• banquette
• barbette
• beget
• beset
• brevet
• briquette
• brunet
• brunette
• burette

Kids Definition

forget

verb

for·​get fər-ˈget 

fȯr-

forgot -ˈgät  ; forgotten -ˈgät-ᵊn  or forgot; forgetting

1

: to be unable to think of or recall

forgot the address

2

a

: to fail to remember to do something

forgot to call you

forgot about practicing

b

: neglect entry 1 sense 1

forget old friends

3

: overlook sense 3b

I shouldn't have said that, so just forget it

4

: to stop remembering or noticing

forgive and forget

forgetter noun