forget
forget
Pronunciation
Here's the IPA phonetic spelling of "forget" for two common pronunciations:
American English (General American):
IPA: /fɚˈɡɛt/
Breakdown by syllable:
fɚ (fur): voiced alveolar flap followed by a schwa sound (uh)
ˈɡɛ (get): stressed central vowel (like "e" in "get") followed by a palatal plosive (like "g" in "go")
t (t): voiceless alveolar plosive (like "t" in "top")
British English (Received Pronunciation):
IPA: /fəˈɡɛt/ (less commonly: /fɔːˈɡɛt/)
Breakdown by syllable: (for /fəˈɡɛt/)
fə (fuhr): voiceless bilabial fricative (like "f" in "fine") followed by a schwa sound (uh)
ˈɡɛ (get): stressed central vowel (like "e" in "get") followed by a palatal plosive (like "g" in "go")
t (t): voiceless alveolar plosive (like "t" in "top")
Note: The second British English pronunciation (/fɔːˈɡɛt/) lengthens the first vowel sound (more like "or" in "forest").
Word Form Variations
"Forget" itself doesn't have variations for singular, plural, person, etc. It's a verb, and verbs primarily conjugate to show tense (past, present, future) and voice (active, passive).
Here are the variations of "forget" based on tense:
Present tense (singular and plural): forget
Past tense (singular and plural): forgot, forgotten (forgotten can also be used as an adjective)
Present participle: forgetting
Past participle: forgotten
Future tense (all forms): will forget
There are no gerund or infinitive variations beyond "forgetting" (gerund) and "to forget" (infinitive).
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Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms
Verb:
Definition:
To be unable to remember something you once knew. (e.g., "I forgot my grocery list at home.")
To fail to do something you intended to do. (e.g., "Don't forget to lock the door!")
To deliberately stop thinking about something or someone. (e.g., "Try to forget about the bad experience.")
Synonyms: (depending on context) fail to remember, miss, neglect, omit, disregard, ignore, leave behind
Antonyms: remember, recall, recollect, bring to mind, do, complete, attend to
Adjective (less common):
Definition: No longer remembered; passed into obscurity. (e.g., "The forgotten castle stood on the hilltop.")
Synonyms: obscure, neglected, overlooked, lost, bygone
Antonyms: remembered, prominent, well-known, thriving
Examples of Use
Verb:
Book: "Watson, for goodness sake, forget what I have said - forget that you saw me." (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Speckled Band)
Newspaper: "Many voters worry they'll forget to register or miss the deadline." (The Washington Post, October 2023)
Online Publication: "Here are some tips to help you forget your ex and move on." (Psychology Today website)
Movie: "Don't forget me!" (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial)
TV Show: "I completely forgot we had a meeting this morning!" (The Office)
Social Media: "Ugh, forgot to buy milk again! #momfail" (Twitter post)
General Conversation: "Hey, did you forget to pay the electricity bill?"
Adjective (less common):
Book: "The forgotten village was slowly being reclaimed by nature." (Novel set in a historical period)
News Article: "Archaeologists unearth a forgotten civilization in the Amazon rainforest." (BBC News)
Documentary: "This documentary explores the forgotten heroes of World War II." (Streaming service)
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10 Famous Quotes Using the term Forget
"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." - John F. Kennedy (highlights the importance of action alongside gratitude)
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." - Franklin D. Roosevelt (emphasises overcoming fear)
"The foolish neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget." - Thomas Szasz (argues for learning from past experiences)
"Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting." - J.M. Barrie (expresses the pain of separation)
"If you can dream it, you can do it." - Walt Disney (encourages pursuing dreams)
"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be." - Ralph Waldo Emerson (highlights self-determination)
"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart." - Helen Keller (emphasises the importance of emotions)
"The mind is everything. What you think you become." - Buddha (focuses on the power of thoughts)
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover." - Mark Twain (encourages taking risks)
"Forget the mistakes. Remember the lesson." - Conrad Hall (emphasises learning from mistakes)
Etymology
The word "forget" comes from Old English and literally means "to lose grip of something in your mind."
Imagine holding onto a memory like it's an object in your hand.
In Old English, "for-" meant "away" or "undo," and "getan" meant "to grasp" or "hold."
So, "forget" meant to undo the grasping of a memory, basically letting it slip away.
The first known use of "forget" appeared around 900 AD and referred to unintentionally losing something from your mind. Over time, it gained the additional meaning of deliberately choosing to stop thinking about something.
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Phrases + Idioms Containing the term Forget
Common Phrases:
Forget about it: Used to dismiss something as unimportant or not worth worrying about.
Don't forget: A reminder to someone to do something.
I forgot all about it: Completely missed or forgot about something.
It slipped my mind: Similar to "I forgot all about it," but emphasizes unintentional forgetting.
Forget it ever happened: A request to disregard a past event.
To forget oneself: To lose control of your emotions or behavior.
Idioms:
Forget about it: Similar to the common phrase, but can also imply resignation or defeat.
On the tip of my tongue: I almost remember something, but can't quite grasp it.
Forget showing solidarity: Expressing a lack of support or unity.
Forget my head if it wasn't attached: A humorous way to say you're forgetful.
Forgetting your manners: Behaving rudely or inconsiderately.
Let bygones be bygones: To move on from past arguments or disagreements.
To bury the hatchet: Similar to "let bygones be bygones," to end a conflict.
Posts Related to Forget
Source Information
Definition of forget from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
