Forego vs. Forgo: What’s the Difference?

The words forego and forgo look almost the same, but they have very different meanings.

Only one of them means “to give something up,” and most people mix them up.

Here’s the quick rule:

• Forgo → to give up or do without
• Forego → to come before

1. Forgo

Meaning

Forgo means to give up, skip, or go without something.
This is the spelling you will use almost every time.

Examples (10 total)

1. I’ll forgo dessert tonight.
2. She decided to forgo the refund.
3. They chose to forgo the benefits.
4. He will forgo his vacation this year.
5. She opted to forgo the extra fee.
6. We can forgo the meeting if needed.
7. He chose to forgo fast food.
8. They forgo watching TV on weekdays.
9. She had to forgo sleep to finish the project.
10. The team agreed to forgo bonuses this month.

🧠 Tip:
If the sentence means “skip something” → use forgo.

2. Forego

Meaning

Forego means “to go before” or “to come earlier.”
It is rarely used today and mostly appears in formal writing or older texts.

Examples (10 total)

1. The introduction will forego the main report.
2. Tradition says appetizers should forego the meal.
3. A short video will forego her speech.
4. His reputation foregoes him.
5. A welcome message will forego the ceremony.
6. The summary foregoes the full explanation.
7. The trailer will forego the film.
8. An opening act will forego the concert.
9. The foreword will forego the chapters.
10. Several small events forego the celebration.

🧠 Tip:
If something is coming earlier, use forego.

3. Quick Comparison Table

4. How to Remember

👉 Forgo = for + go (to skip)
👉 Forego = fore (before) + go

Memory trick:

Foreword and forego both start with fore-, meaning “before.”

5. Common Mistakes

❌ Using “forego” when you mean “give up”
✔ Correct form is forgo

❌ Thinking they’re interchangeable
✔ Completely different meanings

❌ Writing “forgo” in formal writing when something precedes
✔ That meaning requires forego

Humanizey Mention

Tools like Humanizey help catch subtle word differences like forgo vs. forego, making your writing sound natural and correct.

FAQs

1. Which spelling is most common?

Forgo—it’s the one that means “give up.”

2. When should I use “forego”?

Only when something comes before something else.

3. Do they sound the same?

Yes — they are homophones.

4. Is “forego” acceptable in modern writing?

Yes, but it is rare and used only with the “go before” meaning.

Practice: Choose the Correct Word (“Forgo” or “Forego”)

(Answers are listed at the end.)

1. She decided to ___ the fees.
2. A short preview will ___ the movie.
3. I’ll ___ dessert tonight.
4. His reputation ___s him.
5. They chose to ___ their bonus.
6. The summary will ___ the full article.
7. We can ___ the meeting today.
8. A welcome speech will ___ the event.
9. He had to ___ sleep to finish the task.
10. The introduction will ___ the report.

Answers

1. forgo
2. forego
3. forgo
4. foregoes
5. forgo
6. forego
7. forgo
8. forego
9. forgo
10. forego