renounce

American  

[ri-nouns] / rɪˈnaʊns /

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

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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 British  

/ 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

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noun

1. rare a failure to follow suit in a card game

Related Words

See abandon.

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of renounce

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”

Example Sentences

It will refuse to renounce the right to enrich uranium, as it did before, having proven it can survive.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 11, 2026

All were driven to renounce the material world and liberate themselves from desires by going “forth to homelessness,” as several poems put it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

MPC pledged to "permanently renounce the use of arms" and "rejoin the political agreement for peace and reconciliation" that it signed in 2019 with 13 other armed groups, Wanzet said.

From Barron's • Nov. 21, 2025

According to Pakistan's rules, people under the age of 21 cannot renounce their citizenship independently, but their names can be included in the renunciation application filed by their father.

From BBC • Sep. 1, 2025

Army in France and in Germany, and he was so frustrated by his treatment at Manzanar he was ready to renounce his citizenship and sail to the old country.

From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston

Related Words

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