Meaning & use
forgetting
Last updated
“forgetting” is a form of “forget”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbintransitive
the present participle of 'forget', used in continuous tenses to talk about the process of failing to remember
Grammar: Used after 'be' to form continuous tenses: I am forgetting. Also used after certain verbs: I remember forgetting.
Patterns
- be forgetting something
- start forgetting things
I think I'm forgetting something important—did I lock the door?
He's always forgetting his keys at home.
She kept forgetting the names of the people she met.
noununcountable
the act or process of not remembering something, or the state of being forgotten
Grammar: Used as a gerund, often with 'the' or in phrases like 'forgetting is easy'.
Patterns
- the forgetting of something
- forgetting is...
Forgetting is a natural part of aging, but severe memory loss is not.
The forgetting of past mistakes can lead to repeating them.
His forgetting of her birthday caused a big argument.
Word forms
| base form | forget |
|---|---|
| third person singular | forgets |
| past tense | forgot |
| past participle | forgotten |
| -ing form | forgetting |
Common combinations
- keep forgetting
- I keep forgetting to call my mother.
- without forgetting
- She packed everything without forgetting a single item.
- forgetting things
- Stress can lead to forgetting things more often.
Synonyms and how they differ
- not remembering
- More straightforward and neutral; 'forgetting' often implies an accidental failure.
- overlooking
- Suggests missing something due to lack of attention, not memory loss.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: forgetting or forging?
forgetting vs forging
Spelled with one 't' and a 'g'; means creating something or moving ahead, not failing to remember.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
To form the present continuous, we use 'am/is/are + -ing'. 'Forgetting' is the correct -ing form of 'forget'. Option B uses base form after 'am', C lacks the auxiliary 'am', and D uses third-person singular with 'I'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “forgetting”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.