Forbearing

Forbearing is the present participle of the verb forbear, meaning to refrain from something one could do, or to exercise self-control in the face of provocation. As an adjective, forbearing describes someone who shows patient restraint or tolerance, often in difficult circumstances. The related noun forbearance denotes the act, quality, or state of refraining or delaying; forbearance is more common in modern usage, while forbearing as an adjective or participle is rarer but correct in certain contexts.

Origin and form: Forbear comes from Old English forberan, meaning to endure or refrain, formed with the prefix for- and bear (to carry or endure). Over time, the sense shifted from enduring to abstaining, and the noun form forbearance developed to describe that act or quality.

Usage and contexts: In everyday language, one might speak of a “forbearing attitude” or of someone’s “forbearing conduct” as being patient or lenient. In legal or financial contexts, the term appears in phrases describing a forbearance agreement or a forbearance period, where a creditor agrees to postpone enforcement or reduce payments for a time. In literature and ethics, forbearing can describe a virtue of self-control or temperance.

Examples: “Her forbearing nature allowed her to overlook the offense.” “The bank granted a three-month forbearance on the loan.”

See also: forbearance, patience, restraint, tolerance.