What does forbear mean?
Forbear is a formal English verb meaning to hold back from doing something — typically to refrain from exercising a right, pressing a claim, or retaliating when one easily could. A creditor who agrees to forbear delays collection; a person who forbears endures provocation without striking back. The word carries connotations of patience, magnanimity, and deliberate restraint, which is why it long appealed to moral writers: Samuel Johnson praised forbearance as a Christian virtue. Today it survives mainly in two settings — legal language, where a formal 'forbearance agreement' lets a lender temporarily forgo enforcement against a struggling borrower, and literary or religious prose that prizes its dignified tone. It should not be confused with the similarly named 'forebear' (usually written 'forebears'), which denotes ancestors rather than an act of restraint.
verbTo forbear is to refrain from doing something, especially from asserting a legal right or from acting on impulse; it also means to be patient and restrain oneself under provocation.
- To hold back from doing something; to refrain, especially from exercising a right or claim.
- To endure provocation patiently; to exercise self-restraint in the face of annoyance.
"The bank agreed to forbear from pursuing collection until her finances recovered."
"She chose to forbear from commenting, knowing the argument would only escalate."
"He bore the insult quietly and forbore from replying in kind."
Rare: as a noun denoting ancestors, the standard modern spelling is 'forebear'/'forebears'; the spelling 'forbear' for this noun sense is now uncommon.
"Her forebears had farmed the valley for two centuries."
In Shakespeare's England, 'forbear' was shouted on stage constantly — usually by characters begging someone to stop a duel or a brawl.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of forbear
Forbear comes from Old English 'forbeoran,' formed from the prefix 'for-' (indicating prevention or loss) combined with the verb 'beran,' meaning to bear or carry. The underlying Germanic root 'beran' also gave rise to words such as birth and bairn, reflecting its ancient role in expressing bringing forth and carrying. The verb has existed continuously in English since Anglo-Saxon times, and its derivative 'forbearance' entered Middle English via Old French 'forbearance.' Its close cousin 'forebear' (ancestor) arose later through reinterpretation of the prefix.
Related word forms
How forbear is actually used
A formal, somewhat old-fashioned word now most at home in legal contexts (where creditors may formally agree to forbear from enforcing a debt) and in elevated or literary prose. In everyday speech people are more likely to say 'hold back' or 'refrain.' Note the distinct spelling 'forebear'/'forebears' for the noun meaning ancestor — the two are frequently confused.
Easily confused with forbear
Forebear (more commonly 'forebears') means an ancestor, while forbear is a verb meaning to hold back or refrain.