1
as in treaty
a formal agreement between two or more nations or peoples
the two countries signed a peace covenant that, it was hoped, would put an end to decades of bitter conflict
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2
as in contract
a formal agreement to fulfill an obligation
I had to sign a covenant that I would return the rental car on time
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in agreement
an arrangement about action to be taken
the covenant that existed among neighbors in olden times whereby they would quickly respond to the call to help put out one another's house fires
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1
as in to bargain
to come to an arrangement as to a course of action
a traditional rule held that a husband could not enter into a covenant with his wife, because that was the equivalent of covenanting with himself
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to promise
to make a solemn declaration of intent
the home buyers had to covenant that they would restore and keep the house for at least 10 years in exchange for a low mortgage rate
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of covenant
Miles Weiss, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026
In 1935, Roosevelt’s Social Security Act changed the covenant between the American people and the state.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Any pastor or priest, politician or podcaster, who charges that the modern children of Israel are anything other than the direct descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the beneficiaries of God’s unbreakable covenant with Israel, Hagee said, is not preaching the word of God.
—Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Your neighbor may be violating the covenants, conditions and restrictions.
—Jeanne Phillips, Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for covenant
Noun
Funds that cater to institutional investors focused on loans to middle-market borrowers that had more protective covenants and wider spreads, a feature that can also buffer potential losses, Gross said at Semafor World Economy in Washington, DC.
—Miles Weiss, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026
In 1935, Roosevelt’s Social Security Act changed the covenant between the American people and the state.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Any pastor or priest, politician or podcaster, who charges that the modern children of Israel are anything other than the direct descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the beneficiaries of God’s unbreakable covenant with Israel, Hagee said, is not preaching the word of God.
—Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Your neighbor may be violating the covenants, conditions and restrictions.
—Jeanne Phillips, Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for covenant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for covenant
Noun
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Or to put it another way, the nation states, treaties, and climate summits make up the globe, while climate modeling and evolution and the periodic table of elements and carbon cycle are what define the planet.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
-
The last nuclear arms pact, known as the New START treaty, between Russia and the United States expired in February, removing any caps on the two largest atomic arsenals for the first time in more than a half-century.—
Aamer Madhani,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
United gave Ten Hag a contract extension after winning the 2024 FA Cup final and came to regret it.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
The four-time NFL MVP agreed to a one-year contract worth $22 million guaranteed with the Steelers on Saturday, a source confirmed.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
Noun
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Trump has been threatening for weeks that the ceasefire struck in mid-April could end if Iran did not strike a deal, with shifting parameters for striking such an agreement.—
Michelle L. Price,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2026
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This year, however, the band members were clearly in agreement about hitting the road to celebrate Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, albeit in much larger venues than the ones Corgan played on his own.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
18 May 2026
Verb
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A lot of the provisions specifically mention that the two sides will agree to bargain again later, and Rodriguez says having a procedure for future talks as the use cases evolve is key.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
15 May 2026
-
The middle class was built by strong labor standards and the ability of workers to bargain collectively.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 May 2026
Verb
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In an effort to sway Altman, Musk's team invited him for a tour of a Tesla factory and promised him a board seat at Tesla.—
Ashley Capoot,Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
-
The producers promise a celebration of Broadway’s full season.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Noun
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One of the unique aspects of Apple’s pact with MLS is that MLS itself foots production costs, and is the entity that has hired IMG to produce its matches and studio content.—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
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Under the pact, Smoove will serve as an executive producer and creative collaborator on a programming slate that will span formats and genres.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
20 May 2026
Noun
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If it is treated as a disciplined effort to combine security guarantees, infrastructure renewal, governance reform, and private capital, then Ukraine’s farms, mills, mines, and energy system could become more than symbols of resilience.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
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These are associations across multiple studies, not clinical guarantees, but the directional signal is consistent.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
20 May 2026
Noun
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While Iran has signed but not ratified the convention, it is considered by the legal community as binding under customary international law.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
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The finale is leading to a big convention showdown between Hypergnosis and PINATA, which are each working through obstacles that any responsible company would iron out before going public with their product.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Covenant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/covenant. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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