forgo a meal

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "forgo a meal" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the act of intentionally deciding not to eat a meal, often for reasons such as fasting, dieting, or personal choice. Example: "In order to focus on his work, he decided to forgo a meal and continue working through the afternoon."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

He said his grandfather, who died several years ago at the age of 99, lived by a simple dictum: It is all right to forgo a meal, but it is not all right to forgo a glass of rice wine.

The New York Times

But there is still something very wrong, in a society as affluent as ours, when families have to choose between food and rent, or when parents have to forgo a meal so their children can eat, or when the elderly look wistfully at food on television -- food they can't have because they spent their money on their medicine.

The New York Times

Just as no hospitable woman would let a guest come in her home without offering something more than a warm or cold libation, no woman of valor should forgo a meal or snack that someone so carefully created.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

If flying into Long Beach instead of LAX and forgoing a meal can save you six hundred dollars, you won't much miss being able to choose between the chicken and the beef.

The New Yorker

If you are self conscious about your weight, hashing out that insecurity by forgoing a meal in front of the person you like is not the right thing to do.

WikiHow

To defray his accruing student debt, Samuel Issiah Williams of Queens made the decision to forgo a yearlong meal plan for his senior year at Cornell, joining the millions of college students across the country experiencing food insecurity.

The New York Times

But when people claim that the programmes the BBC makes across the North of England are in various shades of grim, I'd happily forgo a hot meal just because it is simply not that black and white.

BBC

Choices like procrastinating work in favor of bad TV, staying up too late browsing social media, or forgoing a decent meal for fast food end up constituting net-negatives, even if they may feel pleasurable at the time.

Huffington Post

Even if you forgo that particular frill, a meal at Neta can still tear a small hole in your pocket.

The New York Times - Food

Mormons are supposed to forgo two meals a month and donate the cost of the food to a local fund for the needy.

The Economist

Here's an Economist writeup on Mormon charity, from the era of George W. Bush's faith-based initiatives: … Mormons are supposed to forgo two meals a month and donate the cost of the food to a local fund for the needy.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "forgo a meal", consider the context. It often implies a deliberate decision, whether due to necessity, dieting, or religious practice. Choose a more common synonym like "skip" or "miss" for general cases.

Common error

Avoid using "forgo a meal" in everyday conversation, as it can sound overly formal. Simpler alternatives like "skip a meal" are often more appropriate for casual contexts.

Linguistic Context

Verb phrase acting as the predicate of a sentence. "Forgo a meal" indicates the action of deliberately abstaining from eating a meal. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability, suggesting it can be used to describe intentionally deciding not to eat, often for dieting, or personal choice.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "forgo a meal" is grammatically correct and commonly employed to express the act of deliberately skipping a meal. Ludwig AI validates this, suggesting it's suitable when discussing intentionally not eating, whether for fasting, dieting, or personal reasons. While phrases like "skip a meal" or "miss a meal" are more common in everyday conversation, "forgo a meal" is acceptable in neutral and formal contexts. It appears most frequently in News & Media and Wiki articles. When writing, consider the audience and context to determine if a simpler alternative would be more appropriate. Be aware that using the term "forgo a meal" in a casual context might sound overly formal.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

skip a meal

This alternative uses a more common and straightforward verb, "skip", to convey the same meaning of not eating a meal.

miss a meal

Similar to "skip a meal", this option uses "miss" to indicate the act of not having a meal.

go without a meal

This alternative emphasizes the act of deprivation or choosing not to have a meal.

abstain from a meal

This option suggests a more deliberate and conscious decision to refrain from eating a meal.

omit a meal

This alternative implies intentionally leaving out a meal from one's routine.

pass up a meal

This phrase suggests declining or not taking advantage of an opportunity to eat a meal.

decline a meal

This option emphasizes the act of refusing a meal that is offered or available.

do without food

This is a broader phrase referring to not eating in general, rather than skipping a specific meal.

fast

This single word denotes abstaining from all food for a period, which includes forgoing meals.

eat nothing

This is a very direct and simple way of saying that someone isn't eating, thus forgoing any meals.

FAQs

What does it mean to "forgo a meal"?

To "forgo a meal" means to intentionally skip or omit eating a scheduled meal. It often implies a conscious decision driven by factors such as dieting, fasting, or lack of resources.

What can I say instead of "forgo a meal"?

You can use alternatives like "skip a meal", "miss a meal", or "go without a meal" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "forgo a meal"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. "Forgo" is a verb that means to abstain from or give up something, and "a meal" is the object being forgone.

When is it appropriate to use "forgo a meal" instead of "skip a meal"?

"Forgo a meal" is suitable in more formal or literary contexts. In everyday conversation, "skip a meal" is generally more common and natural.