diff --git a/cmd/restic/cmd_forget.go b/cmd/restic/cmd_forget.go
index 1f11fb53c..3b9862171 100644
--- a/cmd/restic/cmd_forget.go
+++ b/cmd/restic/cmd_forget.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func init() {
 	f.IntVarP(&forgetOptions.Weekly, "keep-weekly", "w", 0, "keep the last `n` weekly snapshots")
 	f.IntVarP(&forgetOptions.Monthly, "keep-monthly", "m", 0, "keep the last `n` monthly snapshots")
 	f.IntVarP(&forgetOptions.Yearly, "keep-yearly", "y", 0, "keep the last `n` yearly snapshots")
-	f.VarP(&forgetOptions.Within, "keep-within", "", "keep snapshots that were created within `duration` before the newest (e.g. 1y5m7d)")
+	f.VarP(&forgetOptions.Within, "keep-within", "", "keep snapshots that are older than `duration` (eg. 1y5m7d) relative to the latest snapshot")
 
 	f.Var(&forgetOptions.KeepTags, "keep-tag", "keep snapshots with this `taglist` (can be specified multiple times)")
 	f.StringVar(&forgetOptions.Host, "host", "", "only consider snapshots with the given `host`")
diff --git a/doc/man/restic-forget.1 b/doc/man/restic-forget.1
index 0546fac5b..802592757 100644
--- a/doc/man/restic-forget.1
+++ b/doc/man/restic-forget.1
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ data after 'forget' was run successfully, see the 'prune' command.
 
 .PP
 \fB\-\-keep\-within\fP=
-    keep snapshots that were created within \fB\fCduration\fR before the newest (e.g. 1y5m7d)
+    keep snapshots that are older than \fB\fCduration\fR (eg. 1y5m7d) relative to the latest snapshot
 
 .PP
 \fB\-\-keep\-tag\fP=[]