forsake

verb

for·​sake fər-ˈsāk 

fȯr-

forsook fər-ˈsu̇k 

fȯr-

; forsaken fər-ˈsā-kən 

fȯr-

; forsaking

transitive verb

: to renounce or turn away from entirely

friends have forsaken her

forsook the theater for politics

Synonyms

• abandon
• desert
• leave
• maroon
• quit
• strand

Choose the Right Synonym for forsake

abandon, desert, forsake mean to leave without intending to return.

abandon suggests that the thing or person left may be helpless without protection.

abandoned children

desert implies that the object left may be weakened but not destroyed by one's absence.

a deserted town

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

Examples of forsake in a Sentence

forsaking most of our possessions, we evacuated just before the hurricane struck

Recent Examples on the Web

Raised by a single mother and his grandmother—two women who led with love without forsaking discipline and strength—Morrow’s foundation was firm. —Jasmine Browley, Essence, 14 June 2024

His tribes said in a news release in May that the project would forsake the ancestral kinship between both peoples. —Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 10 June 2024

This part of the Captain’s confession is occasionally interrupted by comments from the North Vietnamese commander, who accused him of forsaking his duty in having fun abroad. —Terry Nguyen, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2024

Doing so would not be a military victory but a victory for morality and communal responsibility, a repayment of the debt owed to those who were forsaken by the Israeli government and the entire defense establishment. —Ami Ayalon, Foreign Affairs, 11 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English forsacan, from for- + sacan to dispute; akin to Old English sacu action at law — more at sake

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

forsake

verb

for·​sake fər-ˈsāk 

fȯr-

forsook -ˈsu̇k  ; forsaken -ˈsā-kən  ; forsaking

: to give up or leave entirely

her friends have forsaken her