renounce

[ri-nouns]

verb (used with object)

renounced, renouncing 

1. to give up or put aside voluntarily.

   to renounce worldly pleasures.

   Synonyms: quit, leave, forswear, forgo, forsake
   Antonyms: claim

2. to give up by formal declaration.

   to renounce a claim.

   Synonyms: abdicate, resign

3. to repudiate; disown.

   to renounce one's son.

   Synonyms: deny, disavow, reject, disclaim
   Antonyms: accept

verb (used without object)

renounced, renouncing 

1. Cards.

   1. to play a card of a different suit from that led.

   2. to abandon or give up a suit led.

   3. to fail to follow the suit led.

noun

1. Cards.,  an act or instance of renouncing.

renounce

/ rɪˈnaʊns /

verb

1. (tr) to give up (a claim or right), esp by formal announcement

   to renounce a title

2. (tr) to repudiate

   to renounce Christianity

3. (tr) to give up (some habit, pursuit, etc) voluntarily

   to renounce smoking

4. (intr) cards to fail to follow suit because one has no cards of the suit led

noun

1. rare,  a failure to follow suit in a card game

Other Word Forms

• renouncer noun
• renouncement noun
• renounceable adjective
• renunciable adjective
• nonrenouncing adjective
• self-renounced adjective
• self-renouncement noun
• self-renouncing adjective
• unrenounceable adjective
• unrenounced adjective
• unrenouncing adjective
• unrenunciable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of renounce¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English renouncen, from Middle French renoncer, from Latin renūntiāre “to bring back word, disclaim,” equivalent to re- re- + nūntiāre “to announce,” derivative of nūntius “messenger, news”

Word History and Origins

Origin of renounce¹

C14: from Old French renoncer , from Latin renuntiāre to disclaim, from _re- + nuntiāre to announce, from nuntius messenger

Synonym Study

See abandon.

Example Sentences

He had previously agreed to renounce the title His Royal Highness.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Lai said Taiwan was determined to "maintain peace through strength" and called on China to "renounce the use of force or coercion to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait".

Read more on Barron's

Hamas would lay down its arms while renouncing its leadership role.

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China claims the self-ruled island as part of its territory and has said it will not renounce using force to bring it under its control.

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And Hamas would lay down its arms while forever renouncing its leadership role.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• deny 
• disavow 
• discard 
• disown 
• eschew 
• forgo 
• forsake 
• forswear 
• give up 
• quit 
• recant 
• relinquish 
• repudiate 
• spurn 
• waive