FORSWEAR Synonyms: 64 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'forswear' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of forswear are abjure , recant , renounce , and retract . While all these words mean "to withdraw one's word or professed belief," forswear may add an implication of perjury or betrayal. // I cannot forswear my principles

Q: When might 'abjure' be a better fit than 'forswear'?

The words abjure and forswear can be used in similar contexts, but abjure implies a firm and final rejecting or abandoning often made under oath. // abjured the errors of his former faith

Q: When would 'recant' be a good substitute for 'forswear'?

While in some cases nearly identical to forswear , recant stresses the withdrawing or denying of something professed or taught. // if they recant they will be spared

Q: When can 'renounce' be used instead of 'forswear'?

In some situations, the words renounce and forswear are roughly equivalent. However, renounce may carry the meaning of disclaim or disown. // renounced abstract art and turned to portrait painting

Q: When is 'retract' a more appropriate choice than 'forswear'?

The synonyms retract and forswear are sometimes interchangeable, but retract applies to the withdrawing of a promise, an offer, or an accusation. // the newspaper had to retract the story

forswear

verb

fȯr-ˈswer

variants also foreswear

Definition of forswear next

as in to renounce

to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to) the new government would have to forswear the use of torture if it wished to be granted full diplomatic recognition

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How is the word forswear different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of forswear are abjure, recant, renounce, and retract. While all these words mean "to withdraw one's word or professed belief," forswear may add an implication of perjury or betrayal.

I cannot forswear my principles

When might abjure be a better fit than forswear?

The words abjure and forswear can be used in similar contexts, but abjure implies a firm and final rejecting or abandoning often made under oath.

abjured the errors of his former faith

When would recant be a good substitute for forswear?

While in some cases nearly identical to forswear, recant stresses the withdrawing or denying of something professed or taught.

if they recant they will be spared

When can renounce be used instead of forswear?

In some situations, the words renounce and forswear are roughly equivalent. However, renounce may carry the meaning of disclaim or disown.

renounced abstract art and turned to portrait painting

When is retract a more appropriate choice than forswear?

The synonyms retract and forswear are sometimes interchangeable, but retract applies to the withdrawing of a promise, an offer, or an accusation.

the newspaper had to retract the story

Examples of forswear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The new Speaker, a politician who opposes basic human rights for many Americans and who would forswear his oath to the Constitution to keep a dishonest demagogue in power, represents an extreme minority of the country. —

Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2023 Sullivan was correct to forswear a U.S. nuclear buildup, which would prove an ultimately futile attempt to maintain counterforce and damage-limitation capabilities against two nuclear peers. —

Charles L. Glaser, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2023 Saudi Arabia has also hedged its bets, refusing to forswear enrichment or reprocessing and maintaining an outdated arrangement with the International Atomic Energy Agency that limits the access of international inspectors. —

Eric Brewer, Foreign Affairs, 17 Nov. 2022 Most important of all—given that the specter of Ukraine’s NATO membership was the precipitating cause of the war—Kyiv would need to forswear membership and accept permanent neutrality. —

Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 3 May 2023 See all Example Sentences for forswear

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'forswear.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.