forsake

[fawr-seyk]

verb (used with object)

forsook, forsaken, forsaking. 

1. to quit or leave entirely; abandon; desert.

   She has forsaken her country for an island in the South Pacific.

2. to give up or renounce (a habit, way of life, etc.).

   Synonyms: forgo, relinquish, forswear

forsake

/ fəˈseɪk /

verb

1. to abandon

2. to give up (something valued or enjoyed)

Other Word Forms

• forsaker noun
• unforsaking adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of forsake¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English forsaken “to deny, reject,” Old English forsacan, equivalent to for- prefix meaning “away, off” + sacan “to dispute”; for-

Word History and Origins

Origin of forsake¹

Old English forsacan

Synonym Study

See desert ².

Example Sentences

It’s a fleeting tableau, but it reveals the whole story: even the most forsaken creation reaches for connection the moment he’s given something warm to hold in his hands.

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It also added a neon sign and then subtracted it, eventually forsaking much of its original design as owners and managers came and went.

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Underwater and forsaken, American homeowners watched as their earth-toned Tuscan kitchens and quirky bits of ornament made their homes slow to move in a glutted market.

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The scripted sequel is the triumphant homecoming of those who moved on but never forsook their roots.

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Now that they’ve forsaken the last obstacle to selling out entirely, they will likely lose many more.

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Related Words

• disown 
• forgo 
• forswear 
• jettison 
• quit 
• relinquish 
• renounce 
• repudiate 
• set aside 
• spurn