forget

UK: /fə^rˈgɛt/ US: /fɚˈgɛt/ ,(fər get′)

Inflections of 'forget' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

forgets

v 3rd person singular

forgetting

v pres p

forgot

v past

forgotten

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

for•get /fɚˈgɛt/   v., -got/-ˈgɑt/  -got•ten /-ˈgɑtən/  or -got, -get•ting. 

1. to cease to remember;
   be unable to recall: [~ + object]
   [usually not: be + ~-ing] I have forgotten your name.
   [~ + (that) clause]
   I forgot that we had a meeting.
2. to neglect unintentionally: [~ + object]
   [usually not: be + ~-ing] I'm sorry I forgot our appointment.
   [~ + about + object]
   I forgot about the meeting.
   [~ + to + verb]
   I forgot to lock the gate.
3. to leave behind unintentionally:
   [~ + object] to forget the car keys.
4. to take no note of (often used in commands):
   [~ (+ about) + object] Forget (about) cooking; let's eat out.
5. to stop thinking of deliberately: [~ + object]
   I tried to forget the past.
   [~ + about + object]
   I tried to forget all about her.

Idioms

6. Idioms forget oneself, [no obj] to say or do something improper:
   I forgot myself and started shouting.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

for•get  (fər get′), v., -got or (Archaic) -gat;
-got•ten or -got;
-get•ting. 
v.t. 

1. to cease or fail to remember;
   be unable to recall:
   to forget someone's name.
2. to omit or neglect unintentionally:
   I forgot to shut the window before leaving.
3. to leave behind unintentionally;
   neglect to take:
   to forget one's keys.
4. to omit mentioning;
   leave unnoticed.
5. to fail to think of;
   take no note of.
6. to neglect willfully;
   disregard or slight.

v.i. 

7. to cease or omit to think of something.
8. Idioms forget oneself, to say or do something improper or unbefitting one's rank, position, or character.

• bef. 900; for- + get; replacing Middle English foryeten, Old English forg(i)etan; cognate with Old Saxon fargetan, Old High German firgezzan

for•get′ta•ble, adj. 
for•get′ter, n. 
Usage

Both forgot and forgotten are used as the past participle of forget:
Many have already forgot (or forgotten) the hard times of the Depression.
Only forgotten is used attributively:
half-forgotten memories.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

forget / fəˈɡɛt/ verb ( -gets, -getting, -got) ( -gotten, -got)

1. (when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to fail to recall (someone or something once known); be unable to remember
2. (tr; may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to neglect, usually as the result of an unintentional error
3. (transitive) to leave behind by mistake
4. forget oneself ⇒ to act in an improper manner
5. to be unselfish
6. to be deep in thought

Etymology: Old English forgietan; related to Old Frisian forgeta, Old Saxon fargetan, Old High German firgezzan

forˈgettable adjective

forˈgetter noun