renounce

[ ri-nouns ]

verb (used with object)

, re·nounced, re·nounc·ing.

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)

, re·nounced, re·nounc·ing.

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

Derived Forms

• reˈnouncer, noun
• reˈnouncement, noun

Other Words From

• re·nouncea·ble re·nun·ci·a·ble [r, uh, -, nuhn, -see-, uh, -b, uh, l, -shee-], adjective
• re·nouncement noun
• re·nouncer noun
• nonre·nouncing adjective
• self-re·nounced adjective
• self-re·nouncement noun
• self-re·nouncing adjective
• unre·nouncea·ble adjective
• unre·nounced adjective
• unre·nouncing adjective
• unre·nunci·a·ble 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

If people could only renounce their hateful ideas, they could learn to love one another.

From The Daily Beast

Context: Rumored to be the last words of the French enlightenment writer, when a priest asked him to renounce Satan.

From The Daily Beast

Unlike her brother, however, Laura does not renounce her love, but determines to hide it from view.

From The Daily Beast

Kuzenkov is the only humane Communist Party member in the book, which is another way of saying he must renounce the Party.

From The Daily Beast

Louis looked at me with a startled air, but recovering himself said kindly, “Of course I renounce the—what is it I must renounce?”

From The Daily Beast

Renounce the good law of the worshippers of Mazda, and thou shalt gain such a boon as the Murderer gained, the ruler of nations.

From Project Gutenberg

The Dauphin would be perfectly willing to renounce them for himself and for all his descendants.

From Project Gutenberg

From the father of the latter she received thirty thousand francs to renounce her son.

From Project Gutenberg

Mark well that I do not renounce the pleasure of changing my opinion or of contradicting myself.

From Project Gutenberg

"A woman will do anything for a man but renounce him," says Lloyd; and she cannot understand this fierce instinct of his.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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