forbear
gb/fˈɔɹbˈiɹ/ us/fˈɔɹbˈiɹ/
C1
English
~ 28000
Senses
0 senses
Verb
formal
C1
action
1
refrain from doing something
To choose not to do something, even though you could, usually to be polite or calm.
Usage pattern:
to forbear from [doing something]; to forbear to [do something]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "forbear" with "forbid". "Forbear" means to choose not to do something, while "forbid" means to tell someone else they must not do something. Learners also sometimes use the wrong structure, saying *"forbear do"* instead of the correct "forbear to do" or "forbear from doing".
Synonyms
refrain (Very close in meaning; slightly more common and a bit less formal in modern use.)
|
abstain (Often used for not doing something for moral, health, or religious reasons; more common with voting or alcohol.)
|
hold back (More informal phrasal verb; can also suggest physical or emotional restraint, not just choosing not to act.)
Antonyms
indulge (Suggests doing something freely, often something you had been resisting.)
|
act (Neutral opposite: to take action instead of choosing not to act.)
Collocations
forbear from commenting
|forbear from taking action
|forbear to mention
|cannot forbear from
|please forbear from
|forbear any further comment
Themes
emotions
|law
|politeness
|self-control
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I decided to forbear from making any joke about his mistake.
- The editor will forbear to comment on the ongoing investigation.
- We must forbear from taking legal action until we have all the facts.
- She could not forbear from laughing when she heard the story.
- Out of respect, he forbore to criticize his colleague in public.
Learner examples
- Please forbear from smoking in this room.
- He forbore to answer the rude question.
- They will forbear from making a final decision today.
- She could not forbear from smiling.
- I will forbear to say more about this problem.
Noun
literary
C1
entity
2
ancestor, earlier family member
An ancestor; a person in your family who lived long before you.
Usage pattern:
a [distant] forbear; the forbears of [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse the spelling and use "forbear" (verb) when they mean the noun "forebear" (ancestor). In many modern texts, the ancestor meaning is spelled "forebear"; the spelling "forbear" as a noun is less common and can look old-fashioned.
Synonyms
ancestor (Most common modern word; neutral and used in everyday speech.)
|
forebear (Standard modern spelling for this meaning; more common in contemporary writing than "forbear" as a noun.)
Antonyms
descendant (Refers to people who come after you in the family line, not before.)
Collocations
our forbears
|his Victorian forbears
|the forbears of this community
|ancestors and forbears
Themes
family
|history
|culture
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The mansion was built by his wealthy forbears in the nineteenth century.
- She felt a strong connection to her forbears who had farmed this land for generations.
- Our cultural traditions were handed down from our forbears.
- The museum displays objects that belonged to the forbears of the royal family.
- He researched his forbears and discovered they had immigrated during the famine.
Learner examples
- He is proud of his forbears.
- Her forbears came from a small village.
- We want to know more about our forbears.
- Many people visit the graves of their forbears.
- Our forbears lived very different lives from us.
Verb
archaic
C2
action
3
patiently tolerate or endure
To accept something bad or annoying without shouting, fighting, or complaining.
Usage pattern:
to forbear [someone/something]; to forbear [doing something]
Common mistake:
Learners may try to use this sense in modern everyday speech, where it sounds very old-fashioned or literary. In contemporary English, "tolerate", "put up with", or "endure" are normally used instead.
Synonyms
tolerate (Modern and neutral; often used where this archaic sense of "forbear" once appeared.)
|
endure (Emphasizes suffering or difficulty more strongly than "forbear" usually does.)
Antonyms
protest (To speak or act against something instead of quietly accepting it.)
|
resent (To feel anger and bitterness rather than patient acceptance.)
Collocations
forbear his insults
|forbear such behavior
|long forbore their cruelty
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He forbore their constant complaints, saying nothing in reply.
- She long forbore his rudeness before finally leaving him.
- I cannot forbear such injustice any longer.
- They had forborne many small insults for the sake of peace.
- The villagers forbore the harsh taxes in silence.
Learner examples
- He forbore their loud jokes and did not speak.
- She forbore his bad manners for many years.
- The workers forbore the low pay for a long time.
- They forbore the noise because the baby was sick.
- I cannot forbear this treatment anymore.
Grammar
Dictionary form
forbear
IPA
GB/fˈɔɹbˈiɹ/
US/fˈɔɹbˈiɹ/
Syllables & stress
for - bear (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (for)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: forbear
- Plural: forbears
Verb
- Base: forbear
- 3rd Person Singular: forbears
- Present Participle: forbearing
- Past: forbore
- Past Participle: forborne
Word family
Forms
forbears
noun
forbearing
verb
forbore
verb
forborne
verb
Core family
forbearance
noun C1
Advanced or less common
forbearingly
adverb
Highlights
- Irregular past: forbore Verb
- Irregular past participle: forborne Verb
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.