forsake

[ fawr-seyk ]

verb (used with object)

, for·sook [fawr-, sook], for·sak·en, for·sak·ing.

1. to quit or leave entirely; abandon; desert:

   She has forsaken her country for an island in the South Pacific.

2. to give up or renounce (a habit, way of life, etc.).

   Synonyms: forgo, relinquish, forswear

forsake

/ fəˈseɪk /

verb

1. to abandon
2. to give up (something valued or enjoyed)

Derived Forms

• forˈsaker, noun

Other Words From

• for·saker noun
• unfor·saking adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of forsake¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English forsaken “to deny, reject,” Old English forsacan, equivalent to for- prefix meaning “away, off” + sacan “to dispute”; for-

Word History and Origins

Origin of forsake¹

Old English forsacan

Synonym Study

See desert ².

Example Sentences

I was part of that generation of Latinos who forsook the Republican Party.

From Los Angeles Times

“You don’t have to forsake your life to make great stuff.”

From Los Angeles Times

As a single mom of three children, she’ll gladly forsake the arduous cross-country commute to Washington, and also looks forward to being around when her kids get home from school.

From Los Angeles Times

Even so, losing her voice didn’t mean forsaking her songwriting, a talent that led to a resourceful strategy for a comeback.

From New York Times

It severed ties with much of the Russian economy, ultimately forsaking it as an energy source — and in the process forgoing cheap access to electricity.

From New York Times

Related Words

• disown
• forgo
• forswear
• jettison
• quit
• relinquish
• renounce
• repudiate
• set aside
• spurn