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

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

forgoer

fȯr-ˈgō-ər 

noun

Synonyms

• abjure
• abstain (from)
• forbear
• keep (from)
• refrain (from)
• withhold (from)

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

The price of the base model is kept low by forgoing some amenities, but these are readily available as optional convenience packages. —Peter Douglas, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024

My greatest fear is that the public would lose faith in our election process and forgo this very necessary component of maintaining our freedom. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

Despite the massive potential tax savings, Musk may attempt to circumvent the requirement or forgo a major role in the administration, McCaffrey said. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2024

Environmental and Financial Considerations: PepsiCo’s decision to forgo retrofitting the aging Chicago plant for environmental upgrades or enhanced productivity is a growing trend across industries. —Tom Spiggle, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

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

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