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

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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

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

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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 Don't forget to check out yesterday's Best Laptop Deal of the Day for April 15. —Jade Chung-Lee, PC Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025 And, of course, DJ Miss Milan didn’t forget to indulge in some of the delicious wing flavors at the event, including Wingstop’s infamous lemon pepper rub. —Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 15 Apr. 2025 And don’t forget about yourself: Even a short yoga sequence may be enough to offer similar benefits to taking a walk outside. —Melissa Willets, Parents, 15 Apr. 2025 Don't forget to check out the rest of our outdoor coverage, including the Best Umbrellas, Best Puffer Jackets, Best Running Shorts, and Best Merino Wool Clothes. —Adrienne So, Wired News, 15 Apr. 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.
    — Toria Sheffield, People.com, 15 Mar. 2025
  • 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 juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
    — Sam Gillette, People.com, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of miss
Verb
  • However, Catherine was unimpressed by him going overboard — and ignoring the importance of bedside manner — in the clinic.
    — Stephanie Wenger, People.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Get best-in-class reporting that's too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year.
    — Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of ignore
Verb
  • Yet, many professionals either neglect it or fail to use it effectively.
    — William Arruda, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Society has constructed a storyline defining retirement planning around asset accumulation peppered with images of later life leisure while neglecting what might be best described as the infrastructure necessary to support healthy aging and caregiving.
    — Joseph Coughlin, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
Definition of neglect
Verb
  • Most failed to hit their targets and crashed into the ocean.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Instead, the bills failed to pass, and Democrat Assemblymember Rick Zbur compared them to Nazi Germany practices.
    — Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of fail
Verb
  • For instance, one study found that after losing a spouse, people tended to neglect their health—eating less nutritiously, skipping meals, drinking more alcohol, moving less, and sleeping less.
    — Kathleen Ferraro, SELF, 15 Apr. 2025
  • The inspiration for the work comes from her own journey, of being that woman with a big idea, and big hopes, all while trying to balance the needs of her two daughters and husband (her business partner), and also, the grief of losing her son at six months old.
    — Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of lose
Verb
  • The article omitted crucial information the city conveyed to the reporter stating that for the past three years, the African American Coalition of Kane County had held its Juneteenth Festival in Festival Park on the weekend of or before June 19.
    — Courier-News, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Make the recipe as directed, omitting the bacon, and add the zest of 1 medium-sized lemon to the cheese and pepper mixture in Step 4.
    — Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of omit

Phrases Containing forget

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forges
forget
forgetful
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Cite this Entry

“Forget.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forget. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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