forsaking

Forsaking is the act of abandoning or renouncing a person, belief, duty, or claim. It can describe leaving a path or course of action, renouncing a faith, ending a relationship, or failing to fulfill obligations once acknowledged. The term is used in religious, legal, and everyday language to signal a deliberate turning away from what was formerly valued.

The word comes from Old English forsacan, with for- meaning “away” and a root related to seeking or pursuing. In modern English it conveys a deliberate movement away from something previously pursued or held.

In religious contexts, forsaking is often linked with repentance, renouncing sin, or abandoning worldly attachments. In marriage vows, “forsaking all others” signals exclusive commitment. The term also appears in scriptural and doctrinal discussions about renunciation of idolatry or false beliefs.

In secular use, forsaking can describe desertion of a person, abandonment of a duty, or ending of a relationship. Legally it may relate to abandonment or desertion of dependents or spouses, with potential consequences for custody, support, or liability. Socially, it can carry stigma and moral judgment, reflecting tensions between loyalty, autonomy, and responsibility.

See also: abandonment, renunciation, apostasy, desertion.