forbear

verb
UK: /fɔːˈbeə(r)/
US: /fɔːrˈber/

  1. To politely restrain an impulse to do something; to choose not to do something.

    1. I must forbear saying what I really think.
    2. He had to forbear speaking out against the company's unethical behavior, fearing he'd lose his job.

  2. To hold oneself back from doing something, especially out of patience, tolerance, or self-control.

    1. Please forbear from shouting.
    2. They asked everyone to forbear from smoking in the building because of the new regulations.

Synonyms

abstain refrain avoid desist

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "forbear" in English means: To politely restrain an impulse to do something; to choose not to do something., To hold oneself back from doing something, especially out of patience, tolerance, or self-control..

The phonetic transcription of "forbear" is /fɔːˈbeə(r)/ in British English and /fɔːrˈber/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "forbear": abstain, refrain, avoid, desist.

Example usage of "forbear": "I must forbear saying what I really think.". More examples on the page.