Forewent is the past tense of forgo, which means to give up or do without something you want. When someone forewent dessert, they chose not to have it, even though they might have enjoyed it. When a team forewent their usual practice to help with a school cleanup day, they deliberately skipped practice for something they felt was more important.

The word suggests a conscious choice to pass up something, often for a good reason. You might forego watching TV to finish your homework, or forego buying a new video game to save money for something bigger. An athlete might forego junk food while training for a championship. A scientist might forego sleep to complete an important experiment.

Notice that forewent is different from simply not getting something. If you wanted ice cream but the store was closed, you didn't forgo it; you just couldn't get it. But if the store was open and you chose not to buy it because you were saving your allowance, then you forewent it. The word emphasizes the decision and self-control involved in giving something up.