forbearance
Americannoun
-
the act of forbearing; a refraining from something.
- Synonyms:
- abstinence
-
forbearing conduct or quality; patient endurance; self-control.
Their teacher exhibited great forbearance when the children started acting up in class.
- Synonyms:
- indulgence, sufferance, toleration, tolerance
-
an abstaining from the enforcement of a right.
-
Finance. a form of repayment relief granted by a lender that temporarily postpones payments due from a borrower, while interest on the loan typically continues to accrue.
When he had difficulty making his monthly mortgage payments, the bank granted a forbearance, so he avoided foreclosure on his home.
noun
-
the act of forbearing
-
self-control; patience
-
law abstention from or postponement of the enforcement of a legal right, esp by a creditor allowing his debtor time to pay
Usage
What does forbearance mean in mortgages? Forbearance is a form of repayment relief granted by a lender that temporarily postpones payments due from a borrower, while interest on the loan typically continues to accrue. The terms of forbearance are negotiated between the borrower and the lender. For example, if an individual has difficulty making monthly mortgage payments, a forbearance agreement from the bank can avoid foreclosure on the person’s home.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of forbearance
Explanation
When a teacher says, "Bear with me for a moment," while he writes on the board, he is asking for the class's forbearance. He wants them to wait patiently during the delay. Forbearance also has a more technical, legal meaning — if you are owed money and you give someone extra time to get it to you, you're showing them forbearance. The word has nothing to do with actual bears, but if you think of one slumbering through its winter hibernation, that might help remember its meaning.
Vocabulary lists containing forbearance
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Grade 12, List 3
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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.
In the case of the properties in the FS Rialto 2021-FL3 loan pool, more than 90% of the mortgages have already been modified or received some kind of forbearance, according to Morningstar.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
However, any forbearance was limited by the legal language in the mortgage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
Apple secured tariff forbearance at the time as well.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
In refinancing, your husband would lose a raft of federal protections and flexible deferment and forbearance options.
From MarketWatch ● May 15, 2026
We looked at each other, trembling on the brink of a quarrel, bitterness parting the threads of forbearance one by one, but while a few still held, suddenly, the outward semblance fell away.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
