renege

verb

re·​nege ri-ˈneg How to pronounce renege (audio)
 also  -ˈnāg,
-ˈnig;
rē- How to pronounce renege (audio)
reneged; reneging

intransitive verb

1
: to go back on a promise or commitment
2
: revoke
3
obsolete : to make a denial
reneger noun

Examples of renege in a Sentence

They had promised to pay her tuition but later reneged. my so-called best friend promised to help me move, only to renege come Saturday morning
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.
Invariably, Ali would renege on his apologies. Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025 Thaksin briefly allied with Move Forward in an attempt to form a government, but reneged on that deal to instead lead a motley coalition alongside 10 establishment-leaning parties, including two directly responsible for the 2014 ouster of his sister. Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Sep. 2025 Newsom committed Wednesday to release some state funding to the struggling agencies, including BART and AC Transit, after lawmakers raised the alarm that the governor was reneging on his prior commitment to do so. Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025 Some would even try and renege at the end of their two-month free trial. Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for renege

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin renegare

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of renege was in 1548

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Renege.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/renege. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

renege

verb
re·​nege ri-ˈnig How to pronounce renege (audio) -ˈneg How to pronounce renege (audio)
-ˈnēg,
-ˈnāg
reneged; reneging
1
: deny
2
: to go back on a promise or agreement
reneged on paying the debt
reneger noun

More from Merriam-Webster on renege

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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