forge

1 of 3

noun

1
: a furnace or a shop with its furnace where metal is heated and wrought : smithy
2
: a workshop where wrought iron is produced or where iron is made malleable

forge

2 of 3

verb (1)

forged; forging

transitive verb

1
a
: to form (something, such as metal) by heating and hammering
forged pieces of iron into hooks
b
: to form (metal) by a mechanical or hydraulic press with or without heat
2
: to make or imitate falsely especially with intent to defraud : counterfeit
forge a document
forge a signature
3
: to form or bring into being especially by an expenditure of effort
working to forge party unity
The two countries forged a strong alliance.

intransitive verb

1
: to work at a forge
2
: to commit forgery (see forgery sense 3)
forgeability noun
forgeable adjective

forge

3 of 3

verb (2)

forged; forging

intransitive verb

1
: to move forward slowly and steadily
the ship forged ahead through heavy seas
2
: to move with a sudden increase of speed and power
forged into the lead
forged ahead in marketing the product

Did you know?

Are "forging ahead" and "forging a check" from the same forge?

There are many things you can do with the word forge in English. You can forge ahead (which, confusingly enough, can mean either "move slowly and steadily" or "move with a sudden increase of speed"), you can forge a check or a painting (make something fake), or you can forge a sword (make something real). The senses that relate to creating something (either real or fake) come from the same Latin word that gives us fabric, which is fabricare ("to fashion, construct"). We are not certain where the “movement” senses of forge come from, except insofar as we know that they are from a different origin than the “creation” senses of the word.

Examples of forge in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
While struggling to develop his style of instruction, Po happens upon his biological father Li Shan (Bryan Cranston) and the two forge a bond. Kevin Jacobsen, EW.com, 5 Dec. 2023 In this virtual world, players could transform into pixelated avatars, embark on adventures, and forge friendships, all while battling against the forces of evil. David Moon (junseo Moon), Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Hear the forge roar, feel its heat, and revel in the alchemy of your tiny 6,000-word bladesmith apprenticeship. Longreads, 12 Jan. 2024 Was it newly made in the Kyburg forge or already worn in battle? Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Jan. 2024 Dubbed The Fithian Group, the trio will advise clients on strategy and communications, as well as use their connections in the exhibition industry to find investors and forge partnerships. Brent Lang, Variety, 15 Nov. 2023 This allowed mere men and women to light the dark, heat their homes and forge tools and weapons. Jamie Merisotis, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023 By sharing family recipes and showcasing the ingredients and techniques of their cultures, chefs of color at Kohler Food & Wine demonstrated the potential of these festivals to bridge racial divides and forge connections through food. Anna Haines, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023 Many believe that the paths — which are dominated by carts but can also be used for cycling, running and dog walking — forge human connections, drawing people out of their homes and nurturing conversations between neighbors. Rick Rojas Gabriela Bhaskar, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2023
Verb
Angela Bassett and Robin Wright also star in the fantasy film Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown continues to forge her path as Netflix’s leading lady, picking vehicles that neatly fit her talent and temperament. Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 In my ears, the symphony’s teeth only got sharper as the week wore on and the orchestra forged ahead — though the Philharmonie space did lend particular sparkle and peculiar shine to its timbral variety show. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 This dish might have been forged on the flat-top grills of lunch counters and diners, but today’s best smash burgers are anything but old-school. Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 6 Mar. 2024 Everything helped to forge the film’s dramatic and aesthetic registers. Callum McLennan, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 Legend quickly leveraged his connections to the Latin music world to forge a bilingual kinship with Mafe. USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2024 The team forged its collaborations as part of a global marketing strategy rather than pegged to any one player, and therefore is less at risk of losing its prestige when the best athletes leave. Daniel-Yaw Miller, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 Gonzaga used a 14-0 run to forge a 44-28 halftime lead, and Saint Mary’s could not deliver any sustained comeback. Jeff Faraudo, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024 Efforts to forge national unity between French- and English-speaking Canadians collapsed, prompting a resurgence of Quebec separatism. Alan Cowell, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024
Verb
Sean Manaea poured a 94 mph fastball in for a strike to his catcher, Blake Sabol, and forged a bit of history. Matt Kawahara, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2023 The Vichy police caught Spira forging documents and deported him to Poland, and he was imprisoned at Auschwitz, Buchenwald, and Theresienstadt. Town & Country, 8 Apr. 2023 It might be pinged by someone or something strongly, forging an instantaneous connection. Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2023 The knife begins with a process known as Hizukui Tanzou, which heats up the metal and forges the knife into its general shape. Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 4 Apr. 2023 JCPenney made it out with 55,000 employees and is forging a new future. Maria Halkias, Dallas News, 3 Apr. 2023 If there were questions about the wisdom of investing in college football at the time, forging ahead proved a boon on several fronts, Wicker said. Billy Witz, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2023 The announcement of his new campaign committee garnered the national attention Newsom craves, and the governor’s travels will surely elevate his profile further, bulk up his political treasury and forge a countrywide network of connections. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2023 Further investigation found that at least 25 people associated with Pir’s big game hunting outfitter company presented forged documents to import at least 97 hunting trophies into the U.S. between 2013 and 2018, the Justice Department said. Camille Fine, USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'forge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, "smith's workshop," borrowed from Anglo-French, going back to Gallo-Romance *faurga, going back to Latin fabrica "process of making something, craft, workshop" — more at fabric

Verb (1)

Middle English forgen "to form, shape (metal by heat), invent, contrive, counterfeit," borrowed from Anglo-French forger, forgier, going back to Latin fabricāre, fabricārī "to fashion, shape, construct" — more at fabricate

Verb (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Verb (2)

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of forge was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near forge

Cite this Entry

“Forge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forge. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

forge

1 of 3 noun
ˈfō(ə)rj How to pronounce forge (audio)
ˈfȯ(ə)rj
: a furnace or a shop with its furnace where metal is shaped and worked by heating and hammering

forge

2 of 3 verb
forged; forging
1
a
: to form (as metal) by heating and hammering
b
: to form (metal) by a press
2
: to make or imitate falsely especially with intent to deceive : counterfeit
forge a check
forge a signature
3
: to form or shape in any way : fashion
forged an agreement
forger noun

forge

3 of 3 verb
forged; forging
: to move forward steadily but gradually
forged through the snow
Etymology

Noun

Middle English forge "workshop where metal is heated and shaped," from early French forge (same meaning), from Latin fabrica "workshop for making things of metal"

Verb

origin unknown

Medical Definition

forge

intransitive verb
forged; forging
of a horse
: to make a clicking noise by overreaching so that a hind shoe hits a fore shoe

Legal Definition

forge

verb
forged; forging

transitive verb

: to make, alter, or imitate (as a writing) falsely with intent to defraud : counterfeit

intransitive verb

: to commit forgery
forger noun

More from Merriam-Webster on forge

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