forego

USAGE SUMMARY

"forego" is correct and usable in written English.
It is a verb that means to give up or do without something. For example: "She chose to forego the extra dessert in order to stay on her diet."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The free papers are not difficult to forego.

The Guardian

Nobody, even a staunch luddite, would rationally choose to forego web access when it costs nothing extra, so why even list it?

The Economist

Cathay Pacific's shares fell after a leaked memo suggested that it would ground its fleet next month if the SARS epidemic caused business to deteriorate.See article: SARS infects global businessPilots at American Airlines agreed on a wage cut of $660m a year; mechanics agreed to forego $300m.

The Economist

But already the Charity Commission has said that offering a few bursaries and sharing playing fields with state schools is unlikely to be enough.Schools have to heed such hints because it is almost impossible to shed their charitable status, even if they are willing to forego the attendant tax breaks.

The Economist

According to Andrew Kaczynski's reading of Healthcare.gov, this is wrong; she could forego her employer-provided insurance and sign up through the exchanges, but would then not be able to receive her employer's tax-free contribution.

The Economist

And this, obviously, is the craziest part of the whole decision: New Jersey still needs more trains running into New York City, so it will have to help build and pay for these tunnels, but it will forego years' worth of economic benefits, and taxpayers will most likely end up paying higher borrowing rates and higher prices than if it had gone ahead with ARC in 2010.The whole thing is a fiasco.

The Economist

The government needs the extra revenues, which most of the provinces have now agreed to forego, for its new debt plan to have any chance of working.

The Economist

Mr Alesina points to fiscal adjustments that take place over many years, and which involve structural reforms (rather than just the decision to forego stimulus amid economic weakness).He looks at fiscal adjustments in Ireland and Denmark and notes resulting growth, without considering the dynamics of these adjustments.

The Economist

Inflation expectations are implied by the extra return investors demand to forego protection against future price increases.

The Economist

Secondly, the government wants banks to write off up to 30% of companies' debts; in return, it will issue banks with bonds for another 20-30% of the debts, and forego back taxes.

The Economist

When the pension scheme was introduced the government indicated that it could be granted only if the RBI staff were willing to forego the bank's contribution to PF.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing formally, use "forego" to indicate a deliberate decision to abstain from something, especially when it involves a sacrifice or a strategic advantage.

Common error

Avoid using "forego" interchangeably with words like "precede" or "forgo". "Forego" specifically means to abstain from or relinquish, while "precede" means to come before, and "forgo" is simply an alternate spelling of forego.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "forego" is as a transitive verb. It requires a direct object, indicating what is being given up or abstained from. Ludwig AI indicates that this verb is frequently used in formal contexts to express a deliberate decision to do without something.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Encyclopedias

14%

Science

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Unknown/unmatched sources

12%

Independent

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "forego" is a transitive verb used to express the act of deliberately abstaining from or relinquishing something. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It is frequently found in news articles, encyclopedias, and scientific texts. While the alternate spelling "forgo" exists, "forego" is slightly more common. Related phrases include "relinquish", "waive", and "give up", each with subtle differences in connotation. When using "forego", ensure it's the right fit by differentiating it from "precede", and consider the strategic or sacrificial implications of the act. Keep in mind to utilize the writing guidance to use the word effectively.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

forgo

Similar to "forego", often interchangeable but "forgo" is more common.

relinquish

Implies a more formal and often permanent surrender of something valued.

waive

Specifically means to voluntarily give up a right or claim.

give up

A more general term for ceasing to do or have something.

eschew

Means to deliberately avoid using something.

abandon

Suggests leaving something completely and sometimes suddenly.

sacrifice

Suggests giving up something valuable for a greater cause or purpose.

do without

Indicates managing to live or operate without something.

abstain from

Indicates refraining from something, often for health or moral reasons.

pass up

Means to decline an opportunity or offer.

FAQs

How is "forego" used in a sentence?

"Forego" means to abstain from or relinquish something. For example, "She chose to "forego" dessert to maintain her diet" or "The company decided to "forego" profits this quarter for long-term growth".

What are some alternatives to using "forego"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "relinquish", "waive", or "give up" instead of "forego".

Is it correct to use "forgo" instead of "forego"?

Both "forego" and "forgo" are correct spellings, but "forego" is slightly more common. They have the same meaning: to abstain from or relinquish.

What's the difference between "forego" and "precede"?

"Forego" means to abstain from or relinquish, while "precede" means to come before in time, order, or importance. They are not interchangeable.