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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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

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

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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 For me, death is when my music is forgotten by all of the audience. — Adam Davidson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026 After all, this intriguing East-West combo would be forgotten if not for a solid fighting foundation. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026 So, team ownership apparently forgot that video killed the radio star about 50 years ago. — Armando Salguero, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Really, the challenge as an actor is forgetting all the playfulness, ambition and tone around it, or even the books and the research and just playing the truth of it. — Matt Minton, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026 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
  • Perseus Rising in the northeast after dark, Perseus is not the easiest constellation to make sense of, but its rich star fields are hard to miss.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Nelson, demoralized by the trade, missed nine games that season due to illness and resigned under pressure three months later in February 1995.
    — John Raby, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of miss
Verb
  • And while in some cases online classes can’t be ignored, the preference is that players attend in the classroom.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The Republican Party has ignored the national debt every time Republican presidents have signed bills that have cut taxes on the wealthy.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignore
Verb
  • The new cohort of LatAm petrostates is emerging as an OPEC counterweight the US can’t afford to neglect, especially since its barrels don’t have to move through any dangerous straits.
    — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • This helps prevent the side hustle from becoming a second full-time job, and keeps you from neglecting your other priorities.
    — Chelsea Tobin, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of neglect
Verb
  • But in almost every case, Spurs failed to sell at the right time.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The Minnesota United midfielder failed on two penalty kicks in a draw with UANL Tigres on Friday, but the Argentine totaled two goals and an assist in a 3-1 win over Atlante in the third and final Leagues Cup match Tuesday at Allianz Field.
    — Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of fail
Verb
  • For Margarita Wray, the possibility of losing her son has turned the criminal case into an intensely personal fight for justice.
    — Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Shakira Austin had 29 points and eight rebounds and Sonia Citron added 17 points and eight assists for Washington (19-14), which has lost two straight following a seven-game winning streak.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of lose
Verb
  • Others argue the artist’s work reaffirms structures of settler colonialism by omitting Indigenous perspectives of the land being used, as Alicia Harris discussed in a 2020 dissertation.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • But water vapor can amplify atmospheric warming that other greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide cause, which the statement omits, and on which Blue Origin did not respond to a request for comment.
    — Marissa E. Yingling, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2026
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 14 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on forget

Nglish: Translation of forget for Spanish Speakers

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