forswear

verb

for·swear fȯr-ˈswer How to pronounce forswear (audio)

variants or less commonly foreswear

forswore fȯr-ˈswȯr How to pronounce forswear (audio)

; forsworn fȯr-ˈswȯrn How to pronounce forswear (audio)

; forswearing

transitive verb

: to make a liar of (oneself) under or as if under oath

: to reject or renounce under oath

: to renounce earnestly

: to deny under oath

intransitive verb

: to swear falsely

Did you know?

Forswear (which is also sometimes spelled foreswear) is the modern English equivalent of Old English forswerian. It can suggest denial ("[Thou] would'st forswear thy own hand and seal" — John Arbuthnot, John Bull) or perjury ("Is it the interest of any man … to lie, forswear himself, indulge hatred, seek desperate revenge, or do murder?" — Charles Dickens, American Notes). But in current use, it most often has to do with giving something up, as in "The feuding parties agreed to forswear violence" and "She refused to forswear her principles."

Example Sentences

She forswore her allegiance to the old regime. He foreswore cigarettes as his New Year's resolution.

Recent Examples on the Web The Kremlin has demanded that NATO pull back from Eastern Europe and forswear the addition of potential new members such as Ukraine.

William Mauldin, WSJ, 19 Jan. 2022 Zelensky’s alternative may be to pursue a ceasefire deal with Putin that could require Ukraine to forswear future NATO membership, among other bitter concessions.

Steve Coll, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2022 Ukraine has refused to forswear its right to join the NATO military alliance, a proposition Putin has described as a red line.

Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2022 Neither Washington nor Kyiv is ready to forswear Ukraine’s sovereign right to choose its alliances.

Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2022 The West’s failure to live up to that agreement, in this argument, is the real cause of the crisis now gripping Europe as Mr. Putin demands that NATO forswear membership for Ukraine as the price of calling off a potential invasion.

New York Times, 9 Jan. 2022 McCarthy's refusal to forswear his relationship with Trump and his decision to repair it is the latest troubling sign that vast swaths of the Republican Party have turned their backs on the standards and obligations of democracy.

Stephen Collinson, CNN, 16 July 2021 And, perhaps most important, the U.S. should press Egypt and Qatar to use their leverage to rein in Hamas and force Palestinians to hold new elections and unify their leadership with candidates who forswear violence against Israelis.

Star Tribune, 6 July 2021 The rule of law is vital to free and fair elections, and Mr. Trump is right not to forswear his legal options.

The Editorial Board, WSJ, 24 Sep. 2020 See More

forswear

verb

variants also foreswear

as in to renounce

to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to) the new government would have to forswear the use of torture if it wished to be granted full diplomatic recognition

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

renounce
repeal
abjure
withdraw
deny
retract
recant
abandon
renege
unsay
repudiate
take back
abnegate
forsake
spurn
disavow
relinquish
gainsay
disown
disclaim
contradict
controvert
disprove
refute
negate
revoke
rebut
dispute
back down
surrender
recall
disallow
negative
back off
give up
backtrack
disagree (with)
bolt

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

maintain
declare
admit
acknowledge
affirm
assert
contend
proclaim
profess
claim
maintain
adhere (to)
defend
state
accept
endorse
support
avow
confirm
uphold
vow
adopt
embrace
back
vouch
indorse
espouse

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of forswear are abjure, recant, renounce, and retract. While all these words mean "to withdraw one's word or professed belief," forswear may add an implication of perjury or betrayal.

I cannot forswear my principles

The words abjure and forswear can be used in similar contexts, but abjure implies a firm and final rejecting or abandoning often made under oath.

abjured the errors of his former faith

While in some cases nearly identical to forswear, recant stresses the withdrawing or denying of something professed or taught.

if they recant they will be spared

In some situations, the words renounce and forswear are roughly equivalent. However, renounce may carry the meaning of disclaim or disown.

renounced abstract art and turned to portrait painting

The synonyms retract and forswear are sometimes interchangeable, but retract applies to the withdrawing of a promise, an offer, or an accusation.

the newspaper had to retract the story

单词	forswear
释义	forswear verb for·swear fȯr-ˈswer variants or less commonly foreswear forswore fȯr-ˈswȯr ; forsworn fȯr-ˈswȯrn ; forswearing transitive verb 1 : to make a liar of (oneself) under or as if under oath 2 a : to reject or renounce under oath b : to renounce earnestly 3 : to deny under oath intransitive verb : to swear falsely Did you know? Forswear (which is also sometimes spelled foreswear) is the modern English equivalent of Old English forswerian. It can suggest denial ("[Thou] would'st forswear thy own hand and seal" — John Arbuthnot, John Bull) or perjury ("Is it the interest of any man … to lie, forswear himself, indulge hatred, seek desperate revenge, or do murder?" — Charles Dickens, American Notes). But in current use, it most often has to do with giving something up, as in "The feuding parties agreed to forswear violence" and "She refused to forswear her principles." Synonyms abjure abnegate recant renege renounce repeal repudiate retract take back unsay withdraw See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences She forswore her allegiance to the old regime. He foreswore cigarettes as his New Year's resolution. Recent Examples on the Web The Kremlin has demanded that NATO pull back from Eastern Europe and forswear the addition of potential new members such as Ukraine. William Mauldin, WSJ, 19 Jan. 2022 Zelensky’s alternative may be to pursue a ceasefire deal with Putin that could require Ukraine to forswear future NATO membership, among other bitter concessions. Steve Coll, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2022 Ukraine has refused to forswear its right to join the NATO military alliance, a proposition Putin has described as a red line. Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2022 Neither Washington nor Kyiv is ready to forswear Ukraine’s sovereign right to choose its alliances. Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2022 The West’s failure to live up to that agreement, in this argument, is the real cause of the crisis now gripping Europe as Mr. Putin demands that NATO forswear membership for Ukraine as the price of calling off a potential invasion. New York Times, 9 Jan. 2022 McCarthy's refusal to forswear his relationship with Trump and his decision to repair it is the latest troubling sign that vast swaths of the Republican Party have turned their backs on the standards and obligations of democracy. Stephen Collinson, CNN, 16 July 2021 And, perhaps most important, the U.S. should press Egypt and Qatar to use their leverage to rein in Hamas and force Palestinians to hold new elections and unify their leadership with candidates who forswear violence against Israelis. Star Tribune, 6 July 2021 The rule of law is vital to free and fair elections, and Mr. Trump is right not to forswear his legal options. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 24 Sep. 2020 See More Word History Etymology Middle English forsweren, from Old English forswerian, from for- + swerian to swear First Known Use before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1 Legal Definition forswear verb for·swear fōr-ˈswar forswore -ˈswōr ; forsworn -ˈswōrn ; forswearing transitive verb 1 : to reject, renounce, or deny under oath 2 : to renounce earnestly intransitive verb : to swear falsely : commit false swearing forswear verb variants also foreswear as in to renounce to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to) the new government would have to forswear the use of torture if it wished to be granted full diplomatic recognition Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance renounce repeal abjure withdraw deny retract recant abandon renege unsay repudiate take back abnegate forsake spurn disavow relinquish gainsay disown disclaim contradict controvert disprove refute negate revoke rebut dispute back down surrender recall disallow negative back off give up backtrack disagree (with) bolt Antonyms & Near Antonyms maintain declare admit acknowledge affirm assert contend proclaim profess claim maintain adhere (to) defend state accept endorse support avow confirm uphold vow adopt embrace back vouch indorse espouse See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of forswear are abjure, recant, renounce, and retract. While all these words mean "to withdraw one's word or professed belief," forswear may add an implication of perjury or betrayal. I cannot forswear my principles The words abjure and forswear can be used in similar contexts, but abjure implies a firm and final rejecting or abandoning often made under oath. abjured the errors of his former faith While in some cases nearly identical to forswear, recant stresses the withdrawing or denying of something professed or taught. if they recant they will be spared In some situations, the words renounce and forswear are roughly equivalent. However, renounce may carry the meaning of disclaim or disown. renounced abstract art and turned to portrait painting The synonyms retract and forswear are sometimes interchangeable, but retract applies to the withdrawing of a promise, an offer, or an accusation. the newspaper had to retract the story
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forswear

verb

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Legal Definition

verb

verb

Synonym Chooser