forbearance

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /fɔrˈbɛrəns/ UK /fɔːˈbeərəns/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
patient self-control and restraint, especially under provocation

She showed remarkable forbearance toward her difficult relatives.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · patient self-control and... patience restraint toleranceleniencyself-control clemency indulgence moderation

Opposites

impatience intolerance severity harshness

Word family

Related forms forbear forbearing bear

Etymology

From forbear (Old English forberan 'to endure, abstain') plus the noun-forming suffix -ance, on the model of French abstract nouns. It denotes patient self-restraint.

forberan Old English -ance Old French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# forbearance

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /fɔrˈbɛrəns/
**IPA (UK):** /fɔːˈbeərəns/

## Meanings
1. patient self-control and restraint, especially under provocation

## Examples
- She showed remarkable forbearance toward her difficult relatives.

## Synonyms
- patience
- restraint
- tolerance
- leniency
- self-control
- clemency
- indulgence
- moderation

## Antonyms
- impatience
- intolerance
- severity
- harshness

## Related Forms
- forbear
- forbearing
- bear

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: forberan
- Root: -ance

## Etymology
From forbear (Old English forberan 'to endure, abstain') plus the noun-forming suffix -ance, on the model of French abstract nouns. It denotes patient self-restraint.

## AI Etymology
Forbearance comes from forbear (Old English forberan 'to endure, abstain') plus the noun-forming suffix -ance, on the model of French abstract nouns. It denotes patient self-restraint. The etymological trail includes Old English forberan and Old French -ance. As a noun, forbearance names patient self-control and restraint, especially under provocation. The same family is visible in related forms such as forbear, forbearing, and bear. The analysis is partly morphological, with the modern form built from the elements named in the history.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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