forget
Americanverb (used with object)
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to cease or fail to remember; be unable to recall.
to forget someone's name.
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to omit or neglect unintentionally.
I forgot to shut the window before leaving.
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to leave behind unintentionally; neglect to take.
to forget one's keys.
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to omit mentioning; leave unnoticed.
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to fail to think of; take no note of.
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to neglect willfully; disregard or slight.
verb (used without object)
idioms
verb
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(when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to fail to recall (someone or something once known); be unable to remember
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(tr; may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to neglect, usually as the result of an unintentional error
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(tr) to leave behind by mistake
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(tr) to disregard intentionally
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(when tr, may take a clause as object) to fail to mention
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to act in an improper manner
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to be unselfish
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to be deep in thought
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an exclamation of annoyed or forgiving dismissal of a matter or topic
Usage
Both forgot and forgotten are used as the past participle of forget : Many have already forgot (or forgotten ) the hard times of the Depression. Only forgotten is used attributively: half-forgotten memories.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of forget
First recorded before 900; for- + get; replacing Middle English foryeten, Old English forg(i)etan; cognate with Old Saxon fargetan, Old High German firgezzan
Explanation
When you forget something, you can't recall or remember it. An actor who forgets his lines might need some helpful cues from the other actors on stage. You might forget on online password, or forget to return your library books. You can also deliberately forget something: "I've decided to forget about becoming rich and famous and focus on what I like to do." When you accidentally leave something behind, like your umbrella, you also forget it. The Old English root of forget is forgietan, "fail to remember or neglect inadvertently."
Vocabulary lists containing forget
"The Lotus Seed"
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Chiasmus from Top AP English Exam Novels
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"The Forgotten Treasure" and "There Is No Word for Goodbye"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Forget sewing – glue the pieces of fabric together instead.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
Forget the violin teacher who told you to focus on each note.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
Forget political headlines and geopolitics, for veteran hedge-fund manager Renaud Saleur, it’s all about the megatrends.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026
In 1986, another student in Schwartz’s math class, Sherry Forget, followed suit and took the math teacher to court for being subjected to the film.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
“Forget the demonstration. Forget the world for a minute. Look me in the eye and tell me what I can say to our sons to give them hope.”
From "The Rock and the River" by Kekla Magoon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
