renew
Americanverb (used with object)
-
renews,
present (3rd person singular)
-
renewed,
past participle, past
-
renewing
present participle
-
to begin or take up again, as an acquaintance, a conversation, etc.; resume.
-
to make effective for an additional period.
to renew a lease.
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to restore or replenish.
to renew a stock of goods.
- Synonyms:
- restock
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to make, say, or do again.
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to revive; reestablish.
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to recover (youth, strength, etc.).
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to restore to a former state; make new or as if new again.
- Synonyms:
- mend, reinstate, regenerate, rejuvenate, re-create
verb (used without object)
-
renews,
present (3rd person singular)
-
renewed,
past participle, past
-
renewing
present participle
-
to begin again; recommence.
-
to renew a lease, note, etc.
-
to be restored to a former state; become new or as if new again.
verb
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to take up again
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(also intr) to begin (an activity) again; recommence
to renew an attempt
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to restate or reaffirm (a promise, etc)
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(also intr) to make (a lease, licence, or contract) valid or effective for a further period
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to extend the period of loan of (a library book)
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to regain or recover (vigour, strength, activity, etc)
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to restore to a new or fresh condition
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to replace (an old or worn-out part or piece)
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to replenish (a supply, etc)
Synonym Usage
Renew, renovate, repair, restore suggest making something the way it formerly was. To renew means to bring back to an original condition of freshness and vigor: to renew one's enthusiasm. Renovate means to do over or make good any dilapidation of something: to renovate an old house. To repair is to put into good or sound condition; to make good any injury, damage, wear and tear, decay, etc.; to mend: to repair the roof of a house. To restore is to bring back to its former place or position something which has faded, disappeared, been lost, etc., or to reinstate a person in rank or position: to restore a king to his throne.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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renewsimple
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renewssimple
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have renewedperfect
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has renewedperfect
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am renewingprogressive
-
are renewingprogressive
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is renewingprogressive
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have been renewingperfect progressive
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has been renewingperfect progressive
Past
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renewedsimple
-
had renewedperfect
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was renewingprogressive
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were renewingprogressive
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had been renewingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of renew
First recorded in 1325–75, renew is from the Middle English word renewen. See re-, new
Explanation
If you make something like new, you renew it. When you catch up with an old friend you haven't seen in a long time, you renew your friendship. To renew is to make new again. If you get a new due date for your library books, you've renewed them. If you forget to renew them, your books will be overdue, and you may have to pay a fine. Renew also means to revive, restore, or cause to appear in a new form. Historically, all kinds of tonics have claimed to renew a person's health, but many of the early ones actually contained poisons that could kill you.
Vocabulary lists containing renew
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President Obama's second inaugural address
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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:
During the show’s filming, Foster explained that he is coming up on the one-year renewal period for his real-estate license, which he decided to renew despite being annoyed by the fees he had to pay.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
The company said it systematically opted not to renew or write business that didn’t meet its expectations on pricing or other conditions, as it focused on profitability and portfolio optimization.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
These cells first develop during embryonic growth, and scientists have generally believed that they remain in the brain and continually renew themselves throughout a person's life.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026
Also, circumstances can change, such as what is on offer when you come to renew or shop around for another mortgage after five years.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026
He also pressed for the University of California to renew its government contract to manage Los Alamos.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
But it is understood that there was positive progress during initial conversations, amid expectation within the Emirates that it is a case of when, not if, the 44-year-old renews.
From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026
From a scenic perspective, the new production of “The Adding Machine” from the Actors’ Gang at the Ivy Substation in Culver City renews the demi-classic with stark beauty.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 18, 2026
Price and Value: Don’t just look at the monthly price, check what you’re actually paying upfront and what it’ll cost when it renews.
From Salon ● Feb. 11, 2026
Honduran coffee trader Elias Argueta hopes his country renews ties with Taiwan, where he lives with his wife and young daughter.
From Barron's ● Dec. 18, 2025
Bobby believed deeply in the notion that a play renews itself every day, in rehearsal or performance.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
The incident in April 2024 sparked global outrage and renewed calls to ensure the safety of aid workers in Gaza.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
Semiconductor stocks experienced renewed pressure on Wednesday as the artificial-intelligence trade lost some shine and investors poured into other corners of the market.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
The renewed confrontation has also raised concerns that Eritrea could become involved, potentially leading to wider regional unrest.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Although the company could not legally do that, she later said, her contract was not renewed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Our lease was renewed, and my family started working with a contractor for the expansion almost immediately.
From "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora" by Pablo Cartaya
Spotify confirmed it was not renewing Meghan's 12-episode podcast Archetypes for a second series.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
In the suit, the plaintiff alleged that they did not provide all necessary disclosures before automatically renewing users’ subscriptions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Doing so keeps the Constitution at the center of our popular democratic culture, renewing our loyalty to the document and our sense of its relevance.
From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026
“Escalation has slowed vessels transiting the strait to a trickle, renewing concerns over oil supply tightness through the third quarter,” analysts at ING said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
Then Caliente official Gene Normile came up with the idea of renewing the track’s namesake championship race and inviting Seabiscuit down for it.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
