renege
Americanverb (used without object)
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Cards. to play a card that is not of the suit led when one can follow suit; break a rule of play.
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to go back on one's word.
He has reneged on his promise.
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have renegedperfect
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has renegedperfect 3rd person singular
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is renegingprogressive 3rd person singular
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has been renegingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are renegingprogressive
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have been renegingperfect progressive
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am renegingprogressive 1st person singular
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renegessingular 3rd person
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renegingparticiple
Past
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had renegedperfect
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was renegingprogressive singular
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were renegingprogressive plural
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had been renegingperfect progressive
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renegedsimple
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renegedparticiple
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
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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.
