Meaning & use

forfeit

verb·Academic

To lose or give up something, such as a right, privilege, or possession, as a consequence of an action or rule.

See it in a sentence

Players who arrive late automatically forfeit their spot in the tournament bracket.

She forfeited her deposit after canceling the reservation just one day before arrival.

A note on using this word

Forfeit is often used in legal, sporting, and financial contexts to describe losing something automatically as a penalty for breaking a rule.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

retainkeep

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “forfeit”, then compare your use with the examples above.

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