FORSAKE Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'forsake' contrast with its synonyms?

The words abandon and desert are common synonyms of forsake . While all three words mean "to leave without intending to return," forsake suggests an action more likely to bring impoverishment or bereavement to that which is forsaken than its exposure to physical dangers. // a forsaken lover

Q: When would 'abandon' be a good substitute for 'forsake'?

While the synonyms abandon and forsake are close in meaning, abandon suggests that the thing or person left may be helpless without protection. // abandoned children

Q: When might 'desert' be a better fit than 'forsake'?

The synonyms desert and forsake are sometimes interchangeable, but desert implies that the object left may be weakened but not destroyed by one's absence. // a deserted town

forsake

verb

fər-ˈsāk

Definition of forsake next

as in to leave

to cause to remain behind forsaking most of our possessions, we evacuated just before the hurricane struck

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How does the verb forsake contrast with its synonyms?

The words abandon and desert are common synonyms of forsake. While all three words mean "to leave without intending to return," forsake suggests an action more likely to bring impoverishment or bereavement to that which is forsaken than its exposure to physical dangers.

a forsaken lover

When would abandon be a good substitute for forsake?

While the synonyms abandon and forsake are close in meaning, abandon suggests that the thing or person left may be helpless without protection.

abandoned children

When might desert be a better fit than forsake?

The synonyms desert and forsake are sometimes interchangeable, but desert implies that the object left may be weakened but not destroyed by one's absence.

a deserted town

Examples of forsake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Plunder wasn’t being forsaken so much as redirected and made routine. —

Daniel Immerwahr, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024 Former national security aides to Trump have proposed a peace plan that would require major concessions from Ukraine, including forsaking the possibility of NATO membership for the foreseeable future. —

Dan De Luce, NBC News, 8 July 2024 The film follows a pivotal day in the life of headteacher Steve (Murphy) and his students at a last-chance reform college amidst a world that has forsaken them. —

Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 3 July 2024 There is a brief mention of grumbling among old-timers that the neighborhood staple has forsaken its roots. —

Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for forsake

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'forsake.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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“Forsake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forsake. Accessed 16 Sep. 2024.

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Last Updated: 16 Sep 2024 - Updated example sentences

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Synonyms of forsake

verb

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