1 forget | Definition of forget
Logo
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

forget

verb
for·​get | \ fər-ˈget How to pronounce forget (audio) , fȯr-\
forgot\ fər-​ˈgät How to pronounce forgot (audio) , fȯr-​ \; forgotten\ fər-​ˈgä-​tᵊn How to pronounce forgotten (audio) , fȯr-​ \ or forgot; forgetting

Definition of forget

transitive verb

1a : to lose the remembrance of : be unable to think of or recall I forget his name
b obsolete : to cease from doing
2 : to treat with inattention or disregard forgot their old friends He's now a forgotten hero.
3a : to disregard intentionally : overlook —usually used in the imperative I shouldn't have said that, so just forget it
b : to give up hope for or expectation of —usually used in the imperative as for prompt service, forget it

intransitive verb

1 : to cease remembering or noticing forgive and forget
2 : to fail to become mindful at the proper time forgot about paying the bill
forget oneself
: to lose one's dignity, temper, or self-control She forgot herself because of the liquor she had drunk. So infuriated him that he forgot himself and had a tantrum.
Other Words from forget Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about forget

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from forget

forgetter noun

Choose the Right Synonym for forget

neglect, disregard, ignore, overlook, slight, forget mean to pass over without giving due attention. neglect implies giving insufficient attention to something that merits one's attention. habitually neglected his studies disregard suggests voluntary inattention. disregarded the wishes of his family ignore implies a failure to regard something obvious. ignored the snide remark overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care. in my rush I overlooked a key example slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting. slighted several major authors in her survey forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind. forget what others say

Examples of forget in a Sentence

I keep forgetting her name. The pain and misery are impossible to forget. She forgot how to set up the tent. I'll never forget the first time we met. Don't forget that you have to turn off the light when you leave. “Did you pay the bill?” “I forgot.” He's now a forgotten hero. He's a forgotten man in the world of politics. If you're hoping to hear from him soon, forget it, it's not going to happen. Forget about finding a way to escape—there's no way out of here.
See More

Recent Examples on the Web

 That’s not the kind of performance that will make Arizona fans forget Josh Rosen, the No. — oregonlive.com, "Arizona Cardinals vs. Minnesota Vikings in NFL preseason: Time, TV channel, score, how to watch live stream online," 24 Aug. 2019 Rosie's Water Works is gone, but not forgotten. Elwood's Liquor & Tap, the bar that took its place at 1111 N. Water St., aimed to make sure of that. — Jordyn Noennig, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Elwood's Liquor & Tap on Water aims to keep the feel of Rosie's Water Works with a modern twist," 21 Aug. 2019 Ultimately, however, the records were dumped in a box and largely forgotten. — Lesley Evans Ogden, Science | AAAS, "Century-old salmon-smeared notebooks reveal past bounty of fisheries," 20 Aug. 2019 Colorado, largely forgotten with new coach Mel Tucker coming in, rolled over Colorado State 52-31. — Los Angeles Times, "Texas A&M-Clemson, LSU-Texas headline games to watch in Week 2," 5 Sep. 2019 San Lazzaro degli ArmeniThere are public tours of this secluded island monastery once every afternoon, starting at 3:25 p.m. Don’t forget to hit the gift shop: Locals rave about the rose-petal jam made by the monks who live here. — Andrea Whittle, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Locals' Guide to Venice," 4 Sep. 2019 The clinician then seems to want to force their way to the task at hand, and forget the small talk where rapport could be built. — Michael Erard, Quartz, "How a doctor and a linguist are using AI to better talk to dying patients," 3 Sep. 2019 The crowd’s gasp as the axe severed his neck was a sound no one ever forgot. — Eliga Gould, The Conversation, "The American Founders made sure the president could never suspend Congress," 3 Sep. 2019 Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas responded to fans after the actress was called out for seemingly forgetting her husband's age. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas Troll Fans Who Dragged Her for Forgetting His Age," 3 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'forget.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of forget

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

History and Etymology for forget

Middle English, from Old English forgietan, from for- + -gietan (akin to Old Norse geta to get)

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for forget

forget

verb
How to pronounce forget (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of forget

: to be unable to think of or remember (something)
: to fail to remember to bring or take (something)
: to stop thinking or caring about (someone)

See the full definition for forget in the English Language Learners Dictionary

forget

verb
for·​get | \ fər-ˈget How to pronounce forget (audio) \
forgot\ -​ˈgät \; forgotten\ -​ˈgä-​tᵊn \ or forgot; forgetting

Kids Definition of forget

WORD OF THE DAY

See Definitions and Examples

Get Word of the Day daily email!