renegade

1 of 3

noun

ren·​e·​gade ˈre-ni-ˌgād How to pronounce renegade (audio)
Synonyms of renegadenext
1
: a deserter from one faith, cause, or allegiance to another
2
: an individual who rejects lawful or conventional behavior

renegade

2 of 3

verb

renegaded; renegading

intransitive verb

: to become a renegade

renegade

3 of 3

adjective

1
: having deserted a faith, cause, or religion for a hostile one
2
: having rejected tradition : unconventional

Examples of renegade in a Sentence

Noun The group was full of free spirits and renegades who challenged every assumption of what art should be. She regaled him with stories about pirates and renegades on the high seas.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
In an op-ed for Nikkei, a former lawmaker and one-time spokesperson for the previous Taiwanese president warned that the island — which China claims as a renegade province — was not doing enough to strengthen its energy independence and defense capabilities in the face of mainland pressure. Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 6 Apr. 2026 Not all marketing The renegade spirit isn't all clever marketing. Chloe Veltman, NPR, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
Do Not Disturb follows Karegeya’s life from African herd boy to BMW-driving government spy to renegade refugee who fell prey to the boredom, loneliness, and conspiracies of exile. Claude Gatebuke, The New York Review of Books, 10 June 2021
Adjective
Then there’s Schiaparelli’s approach to work, which was renegade, and highly collaborative. Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2026 Set 500 years in the future, Whedon's original series followed a renegade crew aboard the transport ship Serenity. Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for renegade

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Spanish renegado, from Medieval Latin renegatus, from past participle of renegare to deny, from Latin re- + negare to deny — more at negate

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1611, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1636, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of renegade was circa 1611

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Cite this Entry

“Renegade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/renegade. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

renegade

1 of 2 noun
ren·​e·​gade ˈren-i-ˌgād How to pronounce renegade (audio)
1
: a person who deserts a faith, cause, or party
2
: a person who rejects lawful or acceptable behavior

renegade

2 of 2 adjective
1
: having deserted a faith, cause, or party
2
: having rejected tradition : unconventional

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