forbear
1 of 2verb
for·bear fȯr-ˈber 
fər-
forbore fȯr-ˈbȯr
fər-
; forborne fȯr-ˈbȯrn fər-
; forbearing transitive verb
1
: to hold oneself back from especially with an effort
forbore mentioning the incident
tried to forbear making rash judgments
2
obsolete : to do without
3
obsolete : to leave alone : shun
forbear his presence
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeareintransitive verb
1
: hold back, abstain
have forborne from taking part in any controversy Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln2
: to control oneself when provoked : be patient
forbore with his friend's failings
forbearer noun
forbear
2 of 2noun
for·bear
less common spelling of forebear
: ancestor, forefather
also : precursor —usually used in plural
His forebears fought in the American Civil War.
Synonyms
Verb
- abjure
- abstain (from)
- forgo
- forego
- keep (from)
- refrain (from)
- withhold (from)
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb He carefully forbore any mention of her name for fear of upsetting them. We decided to forbear provoking him any further. We decided to forbear from provoking him any further. He forebore to mention her name.
Recent Examples on the Web TheWeek, 12 Apr. 2020 But crucially, the FCC did not forbear from a few parts of Title II that protect consumers in other ways. Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, 12 July 2017
Verb
So, if a person is enacting their right to resistance, then bystanders have an obligation to forbear and not to interfere. TheWeek, 12 Apr. 2020 But crucially, the FCC did not forbear from a few parts of Title II that protect consumers in other ways. Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, 12 July 2017 Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English forberen, from Old English forberan to endure, do without, from for- + beran to bear
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2
Kids Definition
forbear
verb
for·bear fȯr-ˈber
forbore
-ˈbȯr
; forborne -ˈbȯrn
; forbearing 1
: to hold back
He forbore from hitting the bully back.
2
: to be patient when annoyed or troubled
forbore
verb
as in avoided
to resist the temptation of she's old enough to make her own decisions, so we must forbear criticizing her taste in clothes Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- avoided
- forewent
- abjured
- forwent
- refused
- denied
- refrained (from)
- eschewed
- shunned
- curbed
- constrained
- abstained (from)
- kept (from)
- withheld (from)
- inhibited
- checked
- combated
- repudiated
- rejected
- combatted
- bucked
- fought
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- submitted (to)
- succumbed (to)
- yielded (to)
- bowed (to)
- surrendered (to)
- conceded (to)
- capitulated
- gave in (to)
- acquiesced (to)
- knuckled under (to)