Pronunciation coach
Forebear
Sounds like
forbair
Tap the speaker to hear the word.
Simple meaning
What does Forebear mean?
An ancestor or to hold back.
Dictionary definition
An ancestor; also to hold back from doing something.
Example sentences
Forebear in a sentence
easy
A family story mentioned an old forebear.
medium
Please forebear from interrupting.
hard
Forebear as a noun means ancestor, while forbear as a verb means hold back.
Synonyms
Words like Forebear
ancestorA family member from an earlier generation.
Antonyms
Opposite words
descendantA person born in a later generation.
opposite ideaA contrasting idea to forebear, depending on context.
Word family
Forebear word family
Base word
forebear
noun
forebears
More than one forebear.
verb
forebeared
Past form of forebear.
verb
forebearing
Action form of forebear.
Related words
Explore related words
Quick practice
Try Forebear
Practice 1
What does forebear mean?
Forebear means an ancestor or to hold back.
Practice 2
Which word is closest in meaning to forebear?
Ancestor is close in meaning to forebear in the right context.
Practice 3
Which word is an antonym of forebear?
Descendant contrasts with forebear.
Practice this skill
Practice vocabulary in WordHive
Use the dictionary to understand Forebear, then move into short activities matched to the skills on this page.
Learning paths
- Define the Word Hive for word meanings.
- Synonym Search for word choice.
- Context Clue Challenge for sentence clues.
- Buzz Between for homophones and listening.
- Hive Builder for roots, prefixes, and suffixes.