forgo

verb

for·​go fȯr-ˈgō 

variants or less commonly forego

forwent fȯr-ˈwent  ; forgone fȯr-ˈgȯn 

also -ˈgän

; forgoing fȯr-ˈgō-iŋ 

-ˈgȯ(-)iŋ

; forgoes

fȯr-ˈgōz

transitive verb

1

: to give up the enjoyment or advantage of : do without

… never forwent an opportunity of honest profit …

—Robert Louis Stevenson

decided to forgo dessert for a few days …

2

archaic : forsake

forgoer

fȯr-ˈgō-ər 

noun

Synonyms of forgo

• avoid

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

Ryokans in Japan, conical stone dwellings known as trulli in Italy, yurts in Mongolia; in some destinations, forgoing a hotel for traditional accommodation is an essential part of the travel experience. —Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026

To add to the breezy summer feel of her look, Cyrus wore her loose denim top unbuttoned right to her sternum, forgoing any necklaces in favor or bold aviator sunglasses. —Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 14 May 2026

The amendments would create guardrails to manage energy demand, or to modify existing incentive costs—mainly the money those states are forgoing in tax revenue to attract data center developers. —Jake Angelo, Fortune, 14 May 2026

Lawmakers in previous shutdowns have often pledged to forgo their paychecks while federal workers went unpaid. —Joey Cappelletti, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English forgān to pass by, forgo, from for- + gān to go

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for forgo

• acknow
• aglow
• ago
• airglow
• aloe
• altho
• although
• ammo
• backflow
• backhoe
• banjo
• barbeau

Kids Definition

forgo

verb

for·​go

variants also forego

fȯr-ˈgō, 

fōr-

forwent

-ˈwent

; forgone -ˈgȯn 

also -ˈgän

; forgoing -ˈgō-iŋ 

: to let pass

forgo an opportunity

: go without

forgo lunch