verb
forsake
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
Where it comes from
Forsake descends through Middle English forsaken from Old English forsacan. Merriam-Webster analyzes the Old English verb as for- plus sacan, to dispute.
How the meaning developed
The older verb could express opposition, refusal, denial, or renunciation. Modern forsake concentrates that history into giving something up or abandoning it altogether, often something once valued or owed loyalty.
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Sources
Definitions adapted from Open English WordNet where applicable. License and attribution. Word-history text comes from Lexifour’s sourced social research; pages are assembled automatically, not individually fact-checked on every update.
Updated 2026-09-25. Report a correction.