forthwith

adverb

forth·​with (ˌ)fȯrth-ˈwith How to pronounce forthwith (audio)
 also  -ˈwit͟h
: without any delay : immediately sense 1
I heard it give a peculiar thick cry, and forthwith another of these creatures appeared darkly in the deep shadow of the aperture.H. G. Wells
The Creeks claimed him as of their own blood, and instinctively felt that he was their only possible ruler. He was forthwith chosen to be their head chief.Theodore Roosevelt
… the Ministry of Magic has revised its decision to destroy your wand forthwith. You may retain your wand until your disciplinary hearing on 12th August, at which time an official decision will be taken.J. K. Rowling

Examples of forthwith in a Sentence

The court ordered the company to cease operations forthwith. if the fire alarm rings, leave the building forthwith
Recent Examples on the Web Accordingly, the Special Master and cartographer are DIRECTED to commence work forthwith on a remedial map. Mike Cason | McAson@al.com, al, 5 Sep. 2023 Garland, Weiss, Wolf, and everyone connected to this growing scandal owe the nation answers, forthwith. The Editors, National Review, 23 June 2023 It is therefore ordered that the Arizona Department of Corrections, Reentry and Rehabilitation release (him) forthwith. Elena Santa Cruz, USA TODAY, 16 June 2023 DeSantis, a potential presidential candidate who studied history at Yale, characterizes American universities as liberal indoctrination centers ruled by faculty whose political correctness needs to be canceled, forthwith. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2023 On September 21st the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, declared that the model of railway privatisation that Britain has followed for the past two and a half decades had stopped working, and would end forthwith. The Economist, 26 Sep. 2020 Our new-ish national nightmare continues, so forthwith here is the latest edition of the New Normal, a (sorta) lighthearted roundup of news-you-can-use and other tidbits in the time of epidemic. Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje, ExpressNews.com, 23 Mar. 2020 What is already clear is that the Sussexes intend forthwith to redraw the lines of engagement with the press. Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2020 Take the Green New Deal resolution and put it to a vote forthwith on the House and Senate floor. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 11 Feb. 2019

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

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of forthwith was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near forthwith

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

forthwith

adverb
forth·​with (ˈ)fōrth-ˈwit͟h How to pronounce forthwith (audio)
(ˈ)fȯrth-,
-ˈwith
: immediately sense 2
expect an answer forthwith

More from Merriam-Webster on forthwith

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!