FORSAKE Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'forsake' contrast with its synonyms?

The words abandon and desert are common synonyms of forsake . While all three words mean "to leave without intending to return," forsake suggests an action more likely to bring impoverishment or bereavement to that which is forsaken than its exposure to physical dangers. // a forsaken lover

Q: When would 'abandon' be a good substitute for 'forsake'?

While the synonyms abandon and forsake are close in meaning, abandon suggests that the thing or person left may be helpless without protection. // abandoned children

Q: When might 'desert' be a better fit than 'forsake'?

The synonyms desert and forsake are sometimes interchangeable, but desert implies that the object left may be weakened but not destroyed by one's absence. // a deserted town

forsake

verb

fər-ˈsāk

Definition of forsake next

as in to leave

to cause to remain behind forsaking most of our possessions, we evacuated just before the hurricane struck

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How does the verb forsake contrast with its synonyms?

The words abandon and desert are common synonyms of forsake. While all three words mean "to leave without intending to return," forsake suggests an action more likely to bring impoverishment or bereavement to that which is forsaken than its exposure to physical dangers.

a forsaken lover

When would abandon be a good substitute for forsake?

While the synonyms abandon and forsake are close in meaning, abandon suggests that the thing or person left may be helpless without protection.

abandoned children

When might desert be a better fit than forsake?

The synonyms desert and forsake are sometimes interchangeable, but desert implies that the object left may be weakened but not destroyed by one's absence.

a deserted town

Examples of forsake in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples on the Web By reducing foreign policy to defense initiatives, the United States is forsaking any meaningful attempt to arrest the underlying causes of future regional insecurity, including extreme inequality, environmental degradation, and kleptocracy. —

Van Jackson, Foreign Affairs, 22 Oct. 2021 Being nice to those who’ve been forsaken by others is dangerous. —

Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez, refinery29.com, 9 Sep. 2024 All western nations have forsaken the death penalty. —

Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2024 Most Axios Philadelphia readers would forsake the Sixers if the team left for New Jersey, our Axios poll found. —

Mike D'onofrio, Axios, 23 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for forsake