forget

verb

fər-ˈget How to pronounce forget (audio)
Definition of forgetnext
1
as in to miss
to be unable to recall or think of I forget exactly on which street that the house is

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2
as in to ignore
to fail to give proper attention to she promised not to forget her high school friends after she went off to college

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3
as in to neglect
to leave undone or unattended to especially through carelessness he forgot the pot boiling on the stove

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4
as in to fail
to miss the opportunity or obligation I forgot to call on his birthday

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word forget distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of forget are disregard, ignore, neglect, overlook, and slight. While all these words mean "to pass over without giving due attention," forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind.

forget what others say

When can disregard be used instead of forget?

While in some cases nearly identical to forget, disregard suggests voluntary inattention.

disregarded the wishes of his family

When could ignore be used to replace forget?

The words ignore and forget can be used in similar contexts, but ignore implies a failure to regard something obvious.

ignored the snide remark

When might neglect be a better fit than forget?

In some situations, the words neglect and forget are roughly equivalent. However, neglect implies giving insufficient attention to something that merits one's attention.

habitually neglected his studies

When would overlook be a good substitute for forget?

Although the words overlook and forget have much in common, overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care.

in my rush I overlooked a key example

Where would slight be a reasonable alternative to forget?

The synonyms slight and forget are sometimes interchangeable, but slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting.

slighted several major authors in her survey

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 forget People soon enough forget the need for ongoing scientific research, educational programs and teams that can quickly respond to local, national and international levels. —Katherine A. Foss, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025 Don’t forget to wear green and raise a glass to good times and great company!For more details, visit www.delmarplaza.com or @officialdelmarplaza on Instagram. —Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025 Gone but not forgotten: Lizzy Caplan is opening up about that Gambit movie that never was, and her honest thoughts on it getting scrapped. —Lauren Huff, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2025 Items in the collab, to be released March 7, include caps with Murakami’s signature, colorful, smiling flowers, clothing, and—not to be forgotten—an all-American favorite collector’s item: baseball cards. —The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for forget
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forget
  1. miss
  2. ignore
  3. neglect
  4. fail
  5. lose
  6. omit
Verb
  • Cats hope to have Tkachuk and Marchand back late in regular season although Ekblad likely would miss first round of playoffs.
    — Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Identifying missing persons among repatriated remains is a long and complex process.
    — Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of miss
Verb
  • The trolls ignore Reed’s efforts to offer the estate a platform to rebut Robson and Safechuck’s allegations.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025
  • These tasks include staunching blood, ignoring lies, returning books, paying fees and – quite often – combing out the lice, to name just a few from the recitation of fierce, loving gestures.
    — Erik Pedersen, Orange County Register, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of ignore
Verb
  • Traditionally, the Huntsman, a character who received his own (sorta) spinoff in 2012 with Snow White and the Huntsman, is ordered by the Queen to kill Snow White but neglects the devious deed.
    — Randall Colburn, EW.com, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Yet, many neglect their eyesight, unknowingly compromising their mental sharpness, risk perception and executive function.
    — Dr Chibuzor Uwadi, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of neglect
Verb
  • The creator used the example of Pop The Balloon dating shows, which became a phenomenon in 2024 but failed to use branding to insulate itself from copycats, costing them name recognition and market share, as a result.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Repressive regimes have failed to block the agency’s promotion of freedom around the world.
    — Young Kim, National Review, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of fail
Verb
  • The Packers also lost defensive tackle T.J Slaton to Cincinnati, won't make a run at center Josh Myers and will cut or trade cornerback Jaire Alexander — possibly before the new league year arrives Wednesday afternoon.
    — Rob Reischel, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Lee’s estate in 2023 lost an elder abuse lawsuit on a technicality against a former attorney, but Bolerjack’s documentary claims to explore other aspects of Lee’s exploitation.
    — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of lose
Verb
  • The article omitted crucial information the city conveyed to the reporter stating that for the past three years, the African American Coalition of Kane County had held its Juneteenth Festival in Festival Park on the weekend of or before June 19.
    — Courier-News, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Make the recipe as directed, omitting the bacon, and add the zest of 1 medium-sized lemon to the cheese and pepper mixture in Step 4.
    — Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of omit

Phrases Containing forget

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Cite this Entry

“Forget.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forget. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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