FORBEARING Synonyms: 96 Similar and Opposite Words

forbearing 1 of 2

adjective

as in patient

accepting pains or hardships calmly or without complaint she was inspired by the forbearing patients of the intensive care unit

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forbearing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of forbear

as in avoiding

to resist the temptation of she's old enough to make her own decisions, so we must forbear criticizing her taste in clothes

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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 forbearing

Adjective

With the economy in the doldrums, the public is less forbearing. — Jeff Kingston, Time, 4 Oct. 2025

Verb

Some of the most outrageous scenes are between Stacy, who likes to act out, and her forbearing therapist (Will Arnett). — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 4 June 2026 If Mamdani seems curiously forbearing toward Amin, given his own history, that has much to do with what happened next. — Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for forbearing

Adjective

Adrienne Andrews, an obstetrics nurse, said UPMC hasn't been following national standards set for nurse-to-patient ratios.

— Ricky Sayer, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Sarepta provided limited grants to the Speak Foundation in 2024 and 2025 to support patient programs.

— Kat Bryant Knudson, STAT, 31 July 2026

Definition of patient

Verb

Balancing the risks of using AI agents versus the threat of avoiding them is a work in progress with no clear answers for now.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 27 July 2026
The Irish notwithstanding, this year appears more manageable, avoiding Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon and Michigan in Big Ten play.

— Justin Williams, New York Times, 27 July 2026

Definition of avoiding

Adjective

This fantasy of the obedient wife becomes Agamemnon’s undoing.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 July 2026
But Magdalen’s temporary embodiment of her sister’s demure, obedient nature does not temper her impulsive, dramatic tendencies—only the development of an empathetic, analytical intelligence can do that.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 July 2026

Definition of obedient

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“Forbearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forbearing. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of forbearing

adjective

verb

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