renege

American  

[ri-nig, -neg, -neeg] / rɪˈnɪg, -ˈnɛg, -ˈnig /

verb (used without object)

reneged, reneging

1. Cards. to play a card that is not of the suit led when one can follow suit; break a rule of play.

2. to go back on one's word.

   He has reneged on his promise.

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verb (used with object)

reneged, reneging

1. Archaic. to deny; disown; renounce.

noun

1. Cards. an act or instance of reneging.

renege British  

/ -ˈneɪɡ, rɪˈniːɡ /

verb

1. to go back (on one's promise, etc)

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verb

1. cards other words for revoke

Other Word Forms

• reneger noun

Etymology

Origin of renege

1540–50; earlier renegue < Medieval Latin renegāre, equivalent to re- re- + negāre to deny ( negative )

Example Sentences

Burrowes draws from his bookkeeping records to support his claims, including one that Combs reneged on a promise to pay for Notorious B.I.G.’s public funeral.

From The Wall Street Journal

But the optimism deflated significantly in recent weeks, as questions arose about whether Oracle’s customers could renege on these contracts and leave it holding the bag for billions in underutilized infrastructure.

From MarketWatch

Moller-Maersk and its California-based affiliates reneged on the deal “after not being able to live up to their own sales targets for electric capacity.”

From The Wall Street Journal

An employer might renege on a job offer; an employee might simply not turn up.

From The Wall Street Journal

The piece reported that the Hermès heir was being sued in Washington, D.C., for allegedly reneging on the deal.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• back out
• default on
• go back
• go back on one's word
• pull out
• retract
• reverse