forego
LowFormal, literary
Definition
Meaning
To go without; to abstain or refrain from having something.
To precede in time, place, or order. This sense is now largely archaic and has been superseded by 'forgo' (to do without) and 'forego' (to go before) is often considered a variant spelling for the 'do without' meaning, causing confusion.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often confused with 'forgo'. In modern usage, 'forego' is frequently used interchangeably with 'forgo' meaning 'to do without', though some style guides and careful writers maintain a distinction, using 'forego' only for 'to go before' (as in 'foregoing remarks').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The confusion with 'forgo' is prevalent in both varieties.
Connotations
Slightly more literary or formal in both regions.
Frequency
Rare in everyday speech; more common in written, formal contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP] forego [NP] (e.g., He decided to forego his bonus.)[NP] forego [V-ing] (e.g., She will forego attending the gala.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Forego the frills”
- “A foregone conclusion (Note: This uses the related past participle 'foregone', meaning predetermined.)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Employees agreed to forego a pay rise to help the company survive.
Academic
The study required participants to forego caffeine for 48 hours.
Everyday
I'll forego sugar in my tea today.
Technical
The protocol allows the user to forego non-essential data packets.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The shareholders voted to forego their dividend this quarter.
- She decided to forego the hen party due to work commitments.
American English
- He chose to forego his vacation days to finish the project.
- The team agreed to forego fancy uniforms to save money.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I will forego cake because I'm on a diet.
- They had to forego the trip because it was too expensive.
- In order to invest in the business, the partners had to forego their salaries for six months.
- The treaty required the nation to forego developing nuclear weapons.
- The artist's ascetic lifestyle led him to forego all material luxuries in pursuit of his vision.
- One cannot forego due process, even in times of crisis, without undermining the rule of law.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
FORE-GO: Think of it as deciding to go WITHOUT something that is before (fore) you.
Conceptual Metaphor
ABSTENTION IS A PATH NOT TAKEN.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'уходить вперед' (to go ahead). The modern primary meaning is 'обходиться без', 'отказываться'. The false friend is the archaic 'precede' sense.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'forego' when 'forgo' is meant (and vice versa).
- Misspelling as 'forgoe' or 'foregoe'.
- Pronouncing it as /ˈfɔːr.ɡoʊ/ (like 'fore' + 'go') instead of the correct /fɔːrˈɡoʊ/ (stress on second syllable).
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'The foregoing paragraph outlines the core principles,' what does 'foregoing' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditionally, 'forego' means 'to go before' (archaic), and 'forgo' means 'to do without'. In modern usage, 'forego' is commonly used as a variant spelling of 'forgo', leading to widespread confusion. For clarity, many recommend using 'forgo' for 'do without'.
No, it is a relatively low-frequency, formal word. 'Do without', 'give up', or 'skip' are more common in everyday speech.
It is pronounced with the stress on the second syllable: for-GO (/fɔːrˈɡoʊ/). It does not rhyme with the phrase 'go fore'.
Yes, it is appropriate in formal business writing, e.g., 'The CEO will forego his bonus this year.'