1
Give up a claim or right
Formally surrender an asserted entitlement, position, title, or legal interest.
Example
To join the alliance, the ruler had to renounce his territorial claim.
renounce
/rɪˈnaʊns/ · rih-NOUNSverb
Formally give up, reject, or abandon something.
Use renounce when a person publicly or decisively gives up a claim, belief, right, title, policy, or practice.
What renounce Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Reject a belief or policy
Publicly state that one no longer accepts or supports a principle or course of action.
Example
The candidate refused to renounce the controversial policy.
3
Abandon a practice
Commit to ending participation in conduct previously accepted or used.
Example
The groups agreed to renounce violence before negotiations began.
Use renounce Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The candidate refused to renounce the controversial policy.
The treaty required both rulers to renounce their competing claims to the island.
Several organisations publicly renounced violence and entered peace talks.
Precision Matters
Renounce overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
renounce
vs.Usually involves formally giving up something previously held or supported.
reject
Broadly refuses to accept an idea, offer, or claim.
renounce
vs.Often includes an explicit declaration of rejection.
relinquish
Means surrender possession, control, or a right, sometimes reluctantly.
renounce
vs.Can apply to claims, rights, practices, and affiliations.
recant
Withdraws a statement or belief previously expressed.
renounce
vs.Is formal and often public or principled.
abandon
Broadly leaves something behind or stops pursuing it.
Test renounce in Context
The agreement requires a formal and decisive surrender of a previously asserted claim.
1
The peace agreement allowed the ruler to retain his title only if he formally ___ his earlier territorial claim and accepted the new border.