forgive and forget

Idioms  

1. Both pardon and hold no resentment concerning a past event. For example, After Meg and Mary decided to forgive and forget their differences, they became good friends. This phrase dates from the 1300s and was a proverb by the mid-1500s. For a synonym, see let bygones be bygones.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

forgive and forget

Software stocks and loans have started to find their footing in July, suggesting it may be time for investors to forgive and forget.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

Even if another ex-guerrilla, Gustavo Petro, won the presidency in 2022 by leading a broad left-wing coalition, after decades of bloody armed conflict, many Colombians are not ready to forgive and forget.

From Barron's ● Mar. 5, 2026

Will fans forgive and forget Henderson's Saudi move?

From BBC ● Feb. 23, 2024

There hasn’t been much time to forgive and forget, as the teams will play their entire three-game season schedule in the first five weeks of the 2023-24 campaign.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 10, 2023

“I’ve never felt so bad in my life, and I know that still isn’t enough. I know I can’t ask you to just forgive and forget what I did.”

From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray