Meaning & use
forbear
To hold oneself back from doing something, especially something one has a right to do; to restrain oneself patiently.
See it in a sentence
She forbore from commenting on his mistake, not wanting to embarrass him further.
Please forbear from interrupting until the speaker has finished her point.
A note on using this word
Not to be confused with 'forebear,' meaning an ancestor; the two words are spelled and pronounced almost the same.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “forbear”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.