FORGET Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

forget

verb

fər-ˈget

Definition of forget

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

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 Still, the swans apparently weren’t quite ready to be forgotten. — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026 Largely forgotten now, Harry Emerson Fosdick was the most important Protestant leader of the first half of the twentieth century. — Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026 From this unique vantage point, these characters can bridge divides, see all sides, find new paths forward, and recall multiple histories long forgotten. — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2026 Relatives don’t want cases to be forgotten The FBI initially offered $5,000 for information in the deaths of two brothers from Ohio, Matthew and Philip Reagan. — Sarah Raza, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for forget

Recent Examples of Synonyms for forget

Verb

Wilson was back on the practice field Sunday, despite missing much of training camp with an injury, and will likely open the season as Seattle’s third-string running back.

— Andrew Destin, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
The death toll in last week’s devastating flooding in Nepal has risen to 903 people, officials said Monday, as the number of those listed as missing nearly doubled to 4,247.

— Rudy Chinchilla, NBC news, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of miss

Verb

The stock that spent two years being ignored by the same investors who loaded up on Hilton and Marriott is now having its moment.

— Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Alicia McCalla, 56, a fiction writer who has been doing voice work for five years out of her home in Atlanta, decided to ignore union suggestions and clone her voice.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of ignore

Verb

The recent transformation has breathed new life into the space, elevating it from neglected to polished while preserving its architectural roots.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
As the years pass, the children start learning to play the dusty piano that had been neglected in their abundant lives.

— Solitaire Townsend, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of neglect

Verb

Merrill went 0 for 5 on his bobblehead night, striking out on three pitches with the bases loaded in both the eighth and 11th, and also failed to make a diving catch on Flores' RBI double.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
But ordinary Iranians also turn to cryptocurrency as a way to opt out of a failing system.

— Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of fail

Verb

After the launch of the iPhone in 2007 transformed the smartphone industry, BlackBerry fought hard to keep its consumer mobile division alive with new devices — but ultimately lost the battle.

— Arjun Kharpal,Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
How did Bi work for Bryan for any length of time without absolutely losing his mind?

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of lose

Verb

Grealish was subsequently omitted from City’s squad for the summer’s Club World Cup, prior to his Everton switch.

— David Ornstein, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Much like whiteness itself, America can only admire its virtues by strategically omitting most of its own history.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of omit

Browse Nearby Words

forges

forget

forgetful

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“Forget.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forget. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of forget

verb

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Synonyms of forget

verb

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Phrases Containing forget

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Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

conscientious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

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