forbearance

[fawr-bair-uhns]

noun

1. the act of forbearing; a refraining from something.

   Synonyms: abstinence

2. 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

3. an abstaining from the enforcement of a right.

4. 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.

forbearance

/ fɔːˈbɛərəns /

noun

1. the act of forbearing

2. self-control; patience

3. law abstention from or postponement of the enforcement of a legal right, esp by a creditor allowing his debtor time to pay

Other Word Forms

• nonforbearance noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of forbearance¹

First recorded in 1570–80; forbear + -ance

Example Sentences

Mr. Mamdani would present an enticing target to a political opponent of laconic self-discipline and charitable forbearance.

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Consumers generally can get a full or partial forbearance, a temporary arrangement with a lender that allows them to pause or reduce their mortgage payments due to a financial hardship.

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The Russian president keeps pushing his luck, and the U.S. president keeps showing him uncharacteristic forbearance.

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The payment pause, known as forbearance, artificially inflated borrowers’ credit scores by reporting $0 payments as current.

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He spent 15 years in and out of forbearance, deferment and repayment on his federal loans.

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Related Words

• fortitude 
• self-control 

When To Use

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.