forgo
LowFormal/Neutral
Definition
Meaning
to decide not to have or do something that you would like to have or do
to abstain from, relinquish, or sacrifice something desirable; to go without or pass up voluntarily
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a conscious, voluntary decision to abstain from something beneficial or pleasurable, often for practical, ethical, or ascetic reasons. Not typically used for being forced to give something up.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The spelling 'forego' is an accepted variant meaning the same thing, but 'forgo' is more common in both varieties. Some American style guides prefer 'forgo' to avoid confusion with 'forego' meaning 'to go before'.
Connotations
Slightly more formal in British English; perhaps more common in American financial/business contexts (e.g., forgo a bonus).
Frequency
Rare in casual conversation in both varieties. More likely found in writing, news, and formal speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] + forgo + [Noun Phrase][Subject] + forgo + [Gerund/V-ing]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “forgo the pleasure (of)”
- “cannot forgo the opportunity to”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The CEO decided to forgo her annual bonus to invest in staff training.
Academic
Participants were asked to forgo caffeine for 24 hours prior to the experiment.
Everyday
I'll forgo sugar in my coffee today, thanks.
Technical
The algorithm can forgo non-essential calculations to improve runtime.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She will forgo her annual leave to finish the project.
- Many choose to forgo a car in central London.
American English
- He agreed to forgo his raise this year.
- We decided to forgo dessert to save money.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I will forgo the cake because I'm on a diet.
- They decided to forgo a big wedding.
- The diplomat offered to forgo diplomatic immunity to stand trial.
- Investors may forgo short-term profits for long-term stability.
- The ascetic monk would forgo all worldly possessions.
- The treaty required the state to forgo its right to develop nuclear weapons.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
FORGO = 'FOR' + 'GO' without. Think: "I will FOR (the sake of something) GO without it."
Conceptual Metaphor
SACRIFICE AS MOVEMENT AWAY (giving up is 'going past' an opportunity)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'забывать' (to forget). 'Forgo' is a deliberate choice, not an accident.
- Not directly equivalent to 'отказываться' (to refuse). 'Forgo' is more about abstaining from something you want or are entitled to.
- Avoid using 'пропускать' (to miss/skip) for formal contexts where 'forgo' is appropriate.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I was forced to forgo my holiday.' (Use 'miss out on' or 'cancel' if not voluntary)
- Incorrect spelling: 'forego' (can be ambiguous with the archaic 'to go before')
- Incorrect use with 'from': 'forgo from eating' (correct: 'forgo eating' or 'abstain from eating')
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'forgo' CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Forgo' means to go without or abstain. 'Forego' (less common) can be a variant spelling of 'forgo', but traditionally it means 'to go before' or 'precede'. To avoid confusion, use 'forgo' for abstaining.
Yes, it is considered somewhat formal or neutral. In casual speech, people often say 'give up', 'skip', or 'do without' instead.
Not typically. 'Forgo' implies giving up something desirable or beneficial. If you don't want it, you'd simply 'not have it' or 'refuse it'.
The standard past tense is 'forwent', and the past participle is 'forgone'. However, 'forgoed' is sometimes seen in informal use, though it's non-standard.