forge

¹ American  

[fawrj, fohrj] / fɔrdʒ, foʊrdʒ /

verb (used with object)

forged, forging

1. 

   to form by heating and hammering; beat into shape.

2. to form or make, especially by concentrated effort.

   to forge a friendship through mutual trust.

   Synonyms:

   pirate, falsify, fake, counterfeit, build, create, mold, found, cast

3. to imitate (handwriting, a signature, etc.) fraudulently; fabricate a forgery.

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verb (used without object)

forged, forging

1. to commit forgery.

2. to work at a forge.

3. (of a horse at a trot) to strike the forefeet with the shoes of the hind feet.

noun

• forges
  plural

1. a special fireplace, hearth, or furnace in which metal is heated before shaping.

2. the workshop of a blacksmith; smithy.

forge ² American  

[fawrj, fohrj] / fɔrdʒ, foʊrdʒ /

verb (used without object)

forged, forging

1. to move ahead slowly; progress steadily.

   to forge through dense underbrush.

2. to move ahead with increased speed and effectiveness (usually followed byahead ).

   to forge ahead and finish the work in a burst of energy.

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forge ¹ British  

/ fɔːdʒ /

noun

1. a place in which metal is worked by heating and hammering; smithy

2. a hearth or furnace used for heating metal

3. a machine used to shape metals by hammering

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verb

1. (tr) to shape (metal) by heating and hammering

2. (tr) to form, shape, make, or fashion (objects, articles, etc)

3. (tr) to invent or devise (an agreement, understanding, etc)

4. to make or produce a fraudulent imitation of (a signature, banknote, etc) or to commit forgery

forge ² British  

/ fɔːdʒ /

verb

1. to move at a steady and persevering pace

2. to increase speed; spurt

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• forger
  noun
• forgeable
  adjective
• reforgeable
  adjective
• unforgeable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• forges
  plural

Etymology

Origin of forge¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English forgen, fourgen, from Old French forgier, forger, from Latin fabricāre “to fabricate”; see fabric

Origin of forge²

First recorded in 1605–15; origin uncertain

Explanation

Have you ever seen a blacksmith make a horseshoe? Well, no, probably not, but they use a special furnace which is called a forge, and "to forge something" is also the act of bashing that hot object into shape. Forge has also taken on the more general sense of creating something. A new philosophy or art form might have been forged, as might an alibi or an excuse. To forge something also has the meaning of faking something, such as a painting or a signature with the intent to deceive. It can also mean to move ahead in a steady manner, either physically or metaphorically, much like those solid, regular blows of the blacksmith's hammer.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

forge forges forged forging

Rev Lebaredian, a senior Nvidia executive who is of Armenian descent, helped forge ties between the company and Prime Minister Pashinyan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

You said you were looking forward to spending more alone time with her, presumably to forge a deeper bond.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026

"Creative thinking is born of loneliness... because I stood before the art all alone, I was able to forge my own path," Kusama said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

Merz was able to forge an awkward governing coalition with the center-left Social Democratic Party, the CDU’s longtime ideological opponents.

From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026

Any of you younger siblings who are hoping to forge a better connection with your older brother or sister, here's all that's required of you: don't sell them out to Mom and Dad.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

"But it endures anyway as a tradition that forges character, one that sets us apart from other branches of the armed forces."

From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026

He’s a student of life as much as he is filmmaking, a humanist who forges connections with spectacular sights of the things that frighten and fascinate us the most.

From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026

Instead, the story of a lone knight and his young companion forges a new tonal path in the “Game of Thrones” universe.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026

The firm forges collaborations between its influencers and brands including the Four Seasons hotel chain, retailer Target, clothing company American Eagle and chocolate maker Hu.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026

Dugout sailing canoes and pipes, yes; forges and pigs, no.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

The summer performance tires mounted on 22-inch forged aluminum wheels together added $5,870 to the bill.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026

The two share a similar cultural background, one forged by migration, changing borders and centuries of history.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

Born in London in 1925, Donald Turrell was just 17 when he enlisted, having forged a letter from his parents to say he was 18.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

With liminal spaces all the rage now, Kelly forged his own long ago, one in which you can laugh out loud but always with one eye open.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

Burnham’s older brother had forged checks and wounded their father’s wholesale drug business.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

"In a more dangerous and divided world, Canada is forging stronger relationships with trusted partners," Carney's office said in a statement.

From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026

Rooted in authenticity, service and philanthropy, they’re honoring Appalachian culture by forging iron and blowing glass in their Craftsman’s Valley, while inviting you in to do the same.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

As the court case proceeds, Contango is forging ahead.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

He then followed his father to Manchester City in 2008 and worked with him again at Fulham before forging his own path abroad.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

He supposed, in the end, that the morning was about as passable a morning as anyone could pass when he was forging through a Latin exercise.

From "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" by Gary D. Schmidt

Related Words

• build
• construct
• create
• devise
• form
• hammer out
• shape