forge

1 of 3

noun

1
: a furnace or a shop with its furnace where metal is heated and wrought : smithy
2
: a workshop where wrought iron is produced or where iron is made malleable

forge

2 of 3

verb (1)

forged; forging

transitive verb

1
a
: to form (something, such as metal) by heating and hammering
forged pieces of iron into hooks
b
: to form (metal) by a mechanical or hydraulic press with or without heat
2
: to make or imitate falsely especially with intent to defraud : counterfeit
forge a document
forge a signature
3
: to form or bring into being especially by an expenditure of effort
working to forge party unity
The two countries forged a strong alliance.

intransitive verb

1
: to work at a forge
2
: to commit forgery (see forgery sense 3)
forgeability noun
forgeable adjective

forge

3 of 3

verb (2)

forged; forging

intransitive verb

1
: to move forward slowly and steadily
the ship forged ahead through heavy seas
2
: to move with a sudden increase of speed and power
forged into the lead
forged ahead in marketing the product

Did you know?

Are "forging ahead" and "forging a check" from the same forge?

There are many things you can do with the word forge in English. You can forge ahead (which, confusingly enough, can mean either "move slowly and steadily" or "move with a sudden increase of speed"), you can forge a check or a painting (make something fake), or you can forge a sword (make something real). The senses that relate to creating something (either real or fake) come from the same Latin word that gives us fabric, which is fabricare ("to fashion, construct"). We are not certain where the “movement” senses of forge come from, except insofar as we know that they are from a different origin than the “creation” senses of the word.

Examples of forge in a Sentence

Verb (1) arrested for forging the doctor's signature on the prescription both sides labored mightily to forge a peace treaty loved the artisan look of that hand-forged copper pot Verb (2) the rescue team forged ahead despite the bad weather
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
Can a new leader forge consensus? World Series coverage Shohei Ohtani is expected to play Game 3 of the World Series after Game 2’s shoulder injury scare. Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2024 He is taken back to the forge, where Annatar cuffs him to the workbench. Erik Kain, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
Verb
There is something innately amusing about meaty, cheesy pasta as a sculptural material, but in combination with the mythically ruinous painkiller, comedy and tragedy conspired to forge an unforgettable image-concept. Jeff Gibson, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2024 The Outrun Addiction-recovery stories serve a purpose in the real world, forging a point of connection between individuals who have gone through—or are going through—the hell of crawling their way out of addiction. Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for forge 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, "smith's workshop," borrowed from Anglo-French, going back to Gallo-Romance *faurga, going back to Latin fabrica "process of making something, craft, workshop" — more at fabric

Verb (1)

Middle English forgen "to form, shape (metal by heat), invent, contrive, counterfeit," borrowed from Anglo-French forger, forgier, going back to Latin fabricāre, fabricārī "to fashion, shape, construct" — more at fabricate

Verb (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Verb (2)

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of forge was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near forge

Cite this Entry

“Forge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forge. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

forge

1 of 3 noun
ˈfō(ə)rj How to pronounce forge (audio)
ˈfȯ(ə)rj
: a furnace or a shop with its furnace where metal is shaped and worked by heating and hammering

forge

2 of 3 verb
forged; forging
1
a
: to form (as metal) by heating and hammering
b
: to form (metal) by a press
2
: to make or imitate falsely especially with intent to deceive : counterfeit
forge a check
forge a signature
3
: to form or shape in any way : fashion
forged an agreement
forger noun

forge

3 of 3 verb
forged; forging
: to move forward steadily but gradually
forged through the snow
Etymology

Noun

Middle English forge "workshop where metal is heated and shaped," from early French forge (same meaning), from Latin fabrica "workshop for making things of metal"

Verb

origin unknown

Medical Definition

forge

intransitive verb
forged; forging
of a horse
: to make a clicking noise by overreaching so that a hind shoe hits a fore shoe

Legal Definition

forge

verb
forged; forging

transitive verb

: to make, alter, or imitate (as a writing) falsely with intent to defraud : counterfeit

intransitive verb

: to commit forgery
forger noun

More from Merriam-Webster on forge

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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