variants
or less commonly forego
forwent
fȯr-ˈwent 
; forgone
fȯr-ˈgȯn
; forgone
fȯr-ˈgȯn
also -ˈgän
; forgoing
fȯr-ˈgō-iŋ
-ˈgȯ(-)iŋ
; forgoes
fȯr-ˈgōz
1
: to give up the enjoyment or advantage of : do without
… never forwent an opportunity of honest profit …—
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevensondecided to forgo dessert for a few days …
2
archaic
: forsake
Examples of forgo in a Sentence
She is planning to forgo her right to a trial and simply plead guilty.
I'll forgo dessert tonight—I'm trying to lose weight.
Recent Examples on the Web
Tighter budgets are causing many people to dial back on spending for the holiday; and a good chunk of those in relationships plan to forgo gift-giving altogether, according to consumer surveys.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 12 Feb. 2026
For many of the wounded, the threat of disappearing into Iran’s prisons far outweighs the risks of forgoing medical help.
—Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 11 Feb. 2026
Despite securing a key endorsement from the Leavenworth Planning Commission last week, CoreCivic attorneys were back in court Tuesday, arguing that the company should be allowed to forgo the local zoning process and begin accepting immigrant detainees immediately.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 11 Feb. 2026
Consumers are also forgoing long-term plans for short-term goals.
—Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for forgo
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Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 12 Feb. 2026
For many of the wounded, the threat of disappearing into Iran’s prisons far outweighs the risks of forgoing medical help.
—Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 11 Feb. 2026
Despite securing a key endorsement from the Leavenworth Planning Commission last week, CoreCivic attorneys were back in court Tuesday, arguing that the company should be allowed to forgo the local zoning process and begin accepting immigrant detainees immediately.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 11 Feb. 2026
Consumers are also forgoing long-term plans for short-term goals.
—Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for forgo
Cite this Entry
“Forgo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forgo. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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