to forswear

Examples

• All

• For Protestants to forswear the principles behind Christian Science altogether would be to deny God's effectiveness in the world.

  Academic text (2006)

• An alternate approach calls for Washington to work diligently to ensure that Moscow makes the "right" choices: that it forswears imperial hopes and comes to respect the independence of its neighbors; that it recognizes the futility or, at a minimum, the dangers of attempting to build coalitions against the United States.

  Academic text (2001)

• For the first time in my life, I have thought it best to forswear voting.

  Blog text (6)

• Somehow I found the very thing the narrator of Night Sea Journey tried to forswear at the end of that story.

  Harvard University

• Increasing numbers of people wish to claim both sides of their racial heritage and not forswear either mother or father.

  Academic text (1996)

• You are not expected to forswear commitments to country and conscience, to family and faith.

  Academic text (1999)

• Thus, it seems likely that North Korea will forswear any reforms worthy of the name and instead simply attempt doggedly to hold on.

  Academic text (1992)

• Professional archaeology associations should insist that archaeologists forswear connections to intelligence agencies for the safety of both themselves and their colleagues.

  Academic text (2003)

• If the Iraqi regime wishes peace it will immediately and unconditionally forswear, disclose and remove or destroy all weapons of mass destruction.

  Fair Game (2010)

• The keynote speaker was Mary Campbell Smith, New York City's African-American director of Cultural Affairs, and in a passionate speech she implored women to forswear the extreme individualism of American culture in favor of communal values and community responsibilities.

  Academic text (1991)

Synonyms

G

to give up

vsto forswear

∞ 1.2

To stop trying to do something or accept defeat

is a formal solemn promise to abandon something rather than merely quitting

A

to abandon

vsto forswear

401 3.8

Stop supporting an idea or plan

is a formal promise to give up something rather than simply stop supporting it

R

to renounce

vsto forswear

• Formal

69 6.3

To give up a right, belief, job, or position officially

is focused on promising to stop habits or practices rather than positions

R

to recant

vsto forswear

• Formal

44 8.6

Say publicly that you no longer believe something you said before

is a formal promise to stop a practice rather than a public retraction of belief

R

to retract

vsto forswear

• Formal

41 6.0

To take back a statement or opinion in public

is a voluntary solemn promise to abandon something rather than a demanded withdrawal

F

to forsake

vsto forswear

38 6.9

To leave someone who needs your help

is a formal promise to stop a practice rather than abandoning people emotionally

F

to forgo

vsto forswear

30 6.3

Decide not to have or do something you want

is a formal solemn promise to give up rather than a private choice to skip

S

to swear off

vsto forswear

10 4.9

Make a serious promise to stop doing something you do regularly

is a formal solemn promise rather than a casual personal decision

A

to abjure

vsto forswear

• Formal

3 9.9

To give up a belief or support publicly under pressure

is a voluntary solemn promise to abandon something rather than forced withdrawal

D

to decommit

vsto forswear

1 8.4

To officially take back a promise or plan

is making a formal promise to give something up rather than canceling earlier commitments

F

to foreswear

vsto forswear

• Archaic

1 9.9

To publicly promise to give up a belief, habit, or claim

is the same meaning but is an alternate written form

R

to resile

vsto forswear

• Formal

9.9

To withdraw from a promise or agreement, often officially under pressure

is a solemn promise to give something up rather than withdrawing from one

Antonyms

C

to continue

∞ 1.0

To keep doing something without stopping

A

to adhere

87 4.7

Continue to follow and support a rule, belief, or person

How Committed

to forswear

• Formal

2 9.6

to abandon

401 3.8

to give up

∞ 1.2

to disavow

• Formal

33 7.7

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology