forego

1 of 2

verb (1)

fore·​go fȯr-ˈgō How to pronounce forego (audio)
forewent fȯr-ˈwent How to pronounce forego (audio) ; foregone fȯr-ˈgȯn How to pronounce forego (audio)
 also  -ˈgän
 ; foregoing fȯr-ˈgō-iŋ How to pronounce forego (audio)
-ˈgȯ(-)iŋ
Synonyms of foregonext

transitive verb

: to go before : precede
The story of his mishap forewent him.
foregoer
fȯr-ˈgō-ər How to pronounce forego (audio)
noun

forego

2 of 2

verb (2)

fore·​go

less common spelling of forgo

transitive verb

1
: to give up the enjoyment or advantage of : do without
never forwent an opportunity of honest profit— R. L. Stevenson
decided to forgo dessert for a few days
2
archaic : forsake

Synonyms

Verb (1)

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of forego in a Sentence

Verb (1) if the sparse crowds are any indication of the public's interest in the presidential candidate, then his reputation obviously foregoes him
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Many spoke of putting off seeing doctors and dentists and foregoing the purchase of prescription drugs. — Noreen Sugrue, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025 Creative Crafting There are ways to embrace the new styles of now without completely foregoing the classic shapes and hues. — Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 17 Mar. 2025 Porter County Commissioners decided to expedite the project by foregoing federal dollars and financing the project on its own. — Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2025 Hence, why the idea of foregoing the traditional route and purchasing a tiny home is so intriguing. — Maggie Horton, People.com, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for forego

Word History

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of forego was before the 12th century

Rhymes for forego

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Browse Nearby Words

forego
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Cite this Entry

“Forego.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forego. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

forego

1 of 2 verb
fore·​go fōr-ˈgō How to pronounce forego (audio)
fȯr-
forewent
-ˈwent
 ; foregone -ˈgȯn How to pronounce forego (audio)
 also  -ˈgän
 ; foregoing -ˈgō-iŋ How to pronounce forego (audio)
: to go before : precede
foregoer
-ˈgō(-ə)r How to pronounce forego (audio)
noun

forego

2 of 2

variant of forgo

More from Merriam-Webster on forego

Nglish: Translation of forego for Spanish Speakers

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