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

Choose the Right Synonym for forswear

abjure, renounce, forswear, recant, retract mean to withdraw one's word or professed belief.

abjure implies a firm and final rejecting or abandoning often made under oath.

abjured the errors of his former faith

renounce may carry the meaning of disclaim or disown.

renounced abstract art and turned to portrait painting

forswear may add an implication of perjury or betrayal.

I cannot forswear my principles

recant stresses the withdrawing or denying of something professed or taught.

if they recant they will be spared

retract applies to the withdrawing of a promise, an offer, or an accusation.

the newspaper had to retract the story

Examples of forswear in a Sentence

She forswore her allegiance to the old regime.

He foreswore cigarettes as his New Year's resolution.

Recent Examples on the Web

In Hong Kong, Bonnie Chan, the first woman CEO of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX), which runs the financial hub’s bourse, is leading a high-profile campaign to persuade the 2,600 companies traded on the exchange to forswear single-gender boards. —Beth Greenfield, Fortune Asia, 7 Oct. 2024

Neither Jewish nor American history (nor any other) indefinitely forswears violence regardless of provocation. —Steve Koppman, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2024

In a conflict, our adversaries aren’t going to forswear using all possible means to disrupt our military operations — indeed, the workings of our society itself — because of a principled opposition to waging war above Earth’s atmosphere. —The Editors, National Review, 16 Feb. 2024

Insurance rates for shipping are going up, and companies are forswearing the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, that great shortcut connecting Europe and Asia. —Rich Lowry, National Review, 19 Dec. 2023

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

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Kids Definition

forswear

verb

for·​swear

variants also foreswear

fȯr-ˈswa(ə)r,

fōr-,

-ˈswe(ə)r

forswore -ˈswō(ə)r 

-ˈswȯ(ə)r

; forsworn -ˈswō(ə)rn 

-ˈswȯ(ə)rn

; forswearing

: to make a false statement while under oath : commit perjury

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