reneging

verb

present participle of renege
1
as in withdrawing
to break a promise or agreement my so-called best friend promised to help me move, only to renege come Saturday morning

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in renouncing
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 reneging Now the Navy is reneging on its promise to name an aircraft carrier for Doris Miller, the heroic Black mess attendant who manned a machine gun at Pearl Harbor. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026 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 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 Everlane has been criticized before for reneging on its commitment to transparency when convenient. — Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 20 May 2026 Musk is accusing Altman of ‘robbing a charity,’ by reneging on OpenAI’s original non profit mission. — Gemma Allen, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026 The lawsuit filed last month by Moriarty and the state accuses the federal government of reneging on its promise to cooperate with state investigations after the surge of some 3,000 federal law enforcement officers into Minnesota. — Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 16 Apr. 2026 The lawsuit accuses the federal government of reneging on its promise to cooperate with state investigations after the surge of around 3,000 federal law enforcement officers into Minnesota. — Mark Vancleave, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reneging
  1. withdrawing
  2. renouncing
  3. recalling
  4. retracting
  5. backing out
  6. denying
  7. backing down
  8. repealing
Verb
  • During this period, Obayuwana allegedly tried to cash at least three Treasury tax refund checks worth $382,109 and was successful in cashing one, withdrawing $229,109, federal authorities allege.
    — Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Mementum is trying to run from that fight by withdrawing its letter.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of withdrawing
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
  • That starts with renouncing the use of military intervention as a first resort and ending the practice of diplomacy by airstrike.
    — MARC LYNCH, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of renouncing
Verb
  • But Moores would express misery in recalling ballpark-construction hassles and MLB politics that frustrated his advocacy of small-market clubs and game-day affordability.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • His experiences and observations informed his 2009 memoir, Of Kings and Queens and Movie Stars, a collection of stories recalling encounters with the likes of Cary Grant, Steve McQueen and Omar Sharif.
    — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of recalling
Verb
  • Vivo and Oppo phones have relied on various gimmicks, like smaller gimbals and pop-out lenses, to improve camera performance, though not to the extent of a physically retracting gimbal.
    — Florence Ion, PC Magazine, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The remote control has mixed reviews, with this seemingly retracting from its otherwise glowing reviews.
    — Tantse Walter, Space.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of retracting
Verb
  • After backing out those sectors, the economy would’ve added 70,000 jobs, in line with Wall Street’s consensus, instead of losing 23,000 jobs.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Sources said a different Big 12 team, TCU, was the initial target before backing out of what essentially is a home game for the Aztecs.
    — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 June 2026
Definition of backing out
Verb
  • The first case was settled out of court, with the artist denying allegations and claiming fair use through her legal representative.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The drone in question was powered by a Nvidia minicomputer not sold in Russia but available through resale markets, highlighting the difficulties in denying tech to US adversaries.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of denying
Verb
  • Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter isn’t backing down after the WNBA team ejected former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom from Sunday’s game against the Indiana Fever.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • With neither side backing down, Cancian expects the conflict will drag on well past the midterm elections in November.
    — Steve Walsh, NPR, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of backing down
Verb
  • The Council earlier this month approved an ordinance repealing a July measure that directed the city manager to assess living conditions at the apartments and make emergency repairs.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
  • That includes prohibiting the construction of AI data centers in rural Texas neighborhoods, reducing the impacts of data centers on local communities, and repealing sales tax exemptions and other incentives.
    — Jack Fink, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of repealing

Browse Nearby Words

reneges
reneging
renegotiate
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Cite this Entry

“Reneging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reneging. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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