renounce

[ri-nouns]

verb (used with object)

renounced, renouncing 

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)

renounced, renouncing 

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

Other Word Forms

• renounceable adjective
• renunciable adjective
• renouncement noun
• renouncer noun
• nonrenouncing adjective
• self-renounced adjective
• self-renouncement noun
• self-renouncing adjective
• unrenounceable adjective
• unrenounced adjective
• unrenouncing adjective
• unrenunciable 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

Two sisters seeking to become Indian citizens are currently stateless after failing to procure a document that could prove that they have renounced their citizenship of Pakistan.

From BBC

Once he was captured, Mr Ahn had several chances to avoid prison - he was asked to sign documents renouncing the North and its communist ideology, which was called "conversion".

From BBC

That is the well-worn path of sinners come to confession, or, in secular terms, Whittaker Chambers renouncing his allegiance to Stalin.

From Salon

James Earl Ray, a career criminal, pleaded guilty to the killing, but later renounced his plea.

From BBC

The letter urged "all relevant parties to publicly withdraw from the plan, renounce it and refrain from carrying it out".

From BBC

Related Words

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