renege
Americanverb (used without object)
-
reneges,
present (3rd person singular)
-
reneged,
past participle, past
-
reneging
present participle
-
Cards. to play a card that is not of the suit led when one can follow suit; break a rule of play.
-
to go back on one's word.
He has reneged on his promise.
verb (used with object)
-
reneges,
present (3rd person singular)
-
reneged,
past participle, past
-
reneging
present participle
noun
verb
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
renegesimple
-
renegessimple
-
have renegedperfect
-
has renegedperfect
-
am renegingprogressive
-
are renegingprogressive
-
is renegingprogressive
-
have been renegingperfect progressive
-
has been renegingperfect progressive
Past
-
renegedsimple
-
had renegedperfect
-
was renegingprogressive
-
were renegingprogressive
-
had been renegingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of renege
1540–50; earlier renegue < Medieval Latin renegāre, equivalent to re- re- + negāre to deny ( cf. negative)
Explanation
To renege is to go back on your word or fail to keep a promise. Not quite lying, reneging is more a sin of omission — failing to do what you said you would. The Latin negāre means "to deny," so by reneging on your word, you are denying someone whatever you promised them. In card games, you are said to renege if you play against the rules. To renege may be wrong, but it's not necessarily a punishable offense (unless you put that promise legally binding in writing). Still, it certainly doesn't make you look good!
Vocabulary lists containing renege
Spinnin' Around
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Beowulf
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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"My kids are only excited because, apparently, I promised if I go to space, they get a dog. I can't renege on it now," he said.
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026
But regulators say some companies renege on their commitments.
From Barron's ● Jan. 29, 2026
Now she can renege on a promise to air a revised version on CBS.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 26, 2025
I’m concerned he may renege on that agreement.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2025
The government had already informed the foreign press that I was to be set free tomorrow and felt they could not renege on that statement.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
This wish is granted, but Salieri reneges on his end of the deal after losing faith in the Almighty.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 18, 2026
However, if a company that signed on reneges on its vow, it would face grave consequences in the court of public opinion, said Cueni.
From Reuters ● Jul. 19, 2022
He also agrees to things and then reneges, and when confronted about it, he spins stories.
From Slate ● Oct. 13, 2021
Ross thought he had Francis’ discretion regarding the smelting company, but after Verity’s elopement he reneges, convinced that it was all Ross’s doing.
From New York Times ● Aug. 2, 2015
The rule book does not differentiate between deliberate and accidental reneges.
From Competition by Causey, James
Moreover, the filing claims that the new entity reneged on a number of promises, including that members would keep their lifetime voting rights as well as their lifetime tickets to the award show.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
Being considered is Musk's claim that Altman - with whom he founded OpenAI - has swindled him out of millions of dollars and reneged on the ChatGPT-maker's original non-profit mission.
From BBC ● Apr. 28, 2026
Only 54 of those units were completed by the deadline, leading to the new lawsuit alleging that the VA had reneged on its promise.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2025
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 ● Nov. 19, 2025
Because now that the aunt was gone, Ellen had reneged from that triumvirate of which Miss Rosa tried without realising it to make two.
From "Absalom, Absalom!" by William Faulkner
Then again, any promise made by the U.S. or Venezuela is “subject to reneging by subsequent administrations.”
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 7, 2026
Their union BMA Scotland had accused the government of reneging on a commitment to restore pay to 2008 levels.
From BBC ● Dec. 19, 2025
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 ● Oct. 18, 2025
A separate group of plaintiffs has sued the government, claiming it’s reneging on its duty to protect the horses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2025
What’s to keep the rebels from reneging on the deal?
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
