RENEGE Synonyms: 81 Similar and Opposite Words

renege

verb

ri-ˈneg

Definition of renege

as in to withdraw

to break a promise or agreement my so-called best friend promised to help me move, only to renege come Saturday morning

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to renounce

to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to) refused to renege the principles by which she had always lived her life, even if it resulted in losing her business

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of renege Mamdani even endorsed Espaillat’s reelection bid before reneging and backing the aforementioned Chevalier. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026 At one point officials were contemplating a proposal for a hotel along with newer retail, and only three years ago paid a $2 million settlement to a previous developer who accused the town of reneging on a deal. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2026 But Iran has already threatened to renege on that pledge. — Deva Lee, CNN Money, 22 June 2026 Witnesses to the raid maintained that the protest was lawful and accused Martin Berger, SAIC’s provost, of reneging on a promise to allow student leaders to reach an internal compromise before involving police. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for renege

Recent Examples of Synonyms for renege

Verb

The defendants’ decision not to question a witness did not amount to carrying out the agreements, the government argued, because the agreements did not require that action and the defendants had not withdrawn their pending motions.

— Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2026
Iran’s parliament is debating a bill to withdraw from the NPT, according to Iranian lawmakers.

— Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of withdraw

Verb

Eric Lai, a senior fellow with the Georgetown Center for Asian Law, said every actor in Hong Kong civil society who assumed that renouncing violence and working within the law would be fine has to revise that assumption.

— Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Yermolaiev has lived in the glitzy city state on the Mediterranean coast for several years, having left Ukraine and renounced his Ukrainian citizenship in 2019 to become a citizen of Cyprus.

— Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of renounce

Verb

Those songs and more were performed during his set by an ace band that included two drummers, whose polyrhythmic beat recalled the Burundi-like drumming of Ant’s 1980 masterpiece Kings of the Wild Frontier.

— David Chiu, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Cole recalled how, at the close of those early shows, the drawings were removed from their frames and returned to Auckland, to be put back in their cupboards.

— Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of recall

Verb

The study was found to be fraudulent; eventually, it was retracted entirely.

— Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
So far, no cinema chains have seemingly gone along with the boycott (NewsCord falsely reported one was going to ban the film, then retracted the claim).

— James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of retract

Verb

It was scheduled after Sandburg had its original Week 2 opponent back out.

— Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
The department store had promised to place a new store there until economic difficulties following COVID-19 prompted Nordstrom’s, in 2022, to back out.

— Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of back out

Verb

Anderson, who long had been considered a suspect in Shakur’s killing, denied involvement before his death in an unrelated Compton shooting in 1998 at age 23.

— Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 1 Sep. 2026
Edwards has denied the allegations, but ended his reelection bid after the House Ethics Committee posted their investigative findings last month.

— Claudia Grisales, NPR, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of deny

Verb

Since then, Hochman has been slammed for playing politics, embarrassing his office and even backing down for no reason other than the pressure was too intense.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Jelly Roll isn’t backing down from making jokes at the president’s expense, with the country star once again taking aim at Donald Trump‘s physique during his guest-hosting stint on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

— Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of back down

Browse Nearby Words

renegades

renege

reneged

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“Renege.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/renege. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of renege

verb

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