forget

verb

fər-ˈget How to pronounce forget (audio)
Definition of forgetnext
1
as in to miss
to be unable to recall or think of I forget exactly on which street that the house is

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to ignore
to fail to give proper attention to she promised not to forget her high school friends after she went off to college

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to neglect
to leave undone or unattended to especially through carelessness he forgot the pot boiling on the stove

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to fail
to miss the opportunity or obligation I forgot to call on his birthday

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word forget distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of forget are disregard, ignore, neglect, overlook, and slight. While all these words mean "to pass over without giving due attention," forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind.

forget what others say

When can disregard be used instead of forget?

While in some cases nearly identical to forget, disregard suggests voluntary inattention.

disregarded the wishes of his family

When could ignore be used to replace forget?

The words ignore and forget can be used in similar contexts, but ignore implies a failure to regard something obvious.

ignored the snide remark

When might neglect be a better fit than forget?

In some situations, the words neglect and forget are roughly equivalent. However, neglect implies giving insufficient attention to something that merits one's attention.

habitually neglected his studies

When would overlook be a good substitute for forget?

Although the words overlook and forget have much in common, overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care.

in my rush I overlooked a key example

Where would slight be a reasonable alternative to forget?

The synonyms slight and forget are sometimes interchangeable, but slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting.

slighted several major authors in her survey

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of forget And don't forget: The Cubs had a deal in place for Jesús Luzardo before medicals scuttled it. —Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025 To apply with your hands, dispense two dropper fulls, rub the palms of your hands together, and then evenly rub into your face and neck—just don’t forget to wash your hands when you’re done. —Jenny Berg, Vogue, 2 June 2025 Her husband, Kevin, forgot to put them on that morning. —Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025 Don’t forget about your smartwatch, fitness tracker, or smart ring. —Simon Hill, Wired News, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for forget
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forget
  1. miss
  2. ignore
  3. neglect
  4. fail
  5. lose
  6. omit
Verb
  • Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
    — Kirsten Acuna, People.com, 28 May 2025
  • Both teams had their first two penalties saved, before Steaua eventually got themselves together to score two… which was enough because Barca missed all four of theirs.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 28 May 2025
Definition of miss
Verb
  • What can also be said with certainty, however, is that — even ignoring, for one moment, the events that brought him to Chelmsford crown court in Essex, east of London — this is a story of what might have been.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 6 June 2025
  • The economics are simply too compelling for businesses to ignore: A single AI system can process the workload of dozens of employees at a fraction of the usual labor cost.
    — Adam Bowen, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Definition of ignore
Verb
  • Window treatments appear in nearly every room in the house, but the kitchen has long been neglected, thanks to airflow needs and cooking residue.
    — Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 May 2025
  • However, because of its small flowers, Calibrachoa was long neglected by plant breeders in favor of the petunia with its larger blooms.
    — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 24 May 2025
Definition of neglect
Verb
  • Real efforts at improving access — which many schools have adopted in recent years without enough attention earned — and promoting freer campus climates — which too many schools have failed at — will have to be done simultaneously.
    — Jeffrey Herbst, New York Daily News, 30 May 2025
  • But the consultants have also been asked to anticipate a scenario where the measure fails or doesn’t even go on the ballot.
    — David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025
Definition of fail
Verb
  • Rosado, 52, is an urban planner and former North Bay Village manager who previously ran for the District 4 seat in 2017, losing to Reyes.
    — Tess Riski, Miami Herald, 4 June 2025
  • Water depth - The deeper the water, the sooner a vehicle loses traction on the road.
    — STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 June 2025
Definition of lose
Verb
  • Vance’s account of this dispute conveniently inflates the evidence of Abrego Garcia’s alleged membership in the MS-13 gang and omits the U.S. government’s responsibility for returning him to El Salvador.
    — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 25 May 2025
  • Some Leaders Have Started Eliminating The Pre-Meeting Chit-Chat Executives now use a direct communication approach, which omits all small talk.
    — Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Definition of omit

Phrases Containing forget

Browse Nearby Words

forges
forget
forgetful
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Forget.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forget. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on forget

Nglish: Translation of forget for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

'Bring' vs. 'Take'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

10 Hella Good U.S. Regionalisms

Some Data About 'Datum'

The Clinical History of 'Moron,' 'Idiot,' and 'Imbecile'
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All