repudiation

noun

re·​pu·​di·​a·​tion ri-ˌpyü-dē-ˈā-shən How to pronounce repudiation (audio)
: the act of repudiating : the state of being repudiated
especially : the refusal of public authorities to acknowledge or pay a debt
repudiationist noun

Examples of repudiation in a Sentence

voters seemed satisfied by the candidate's public repudiation of the beliefs of an organization to which he had briefly belonged as a youth New Year's resolutions typically include the repudiation of chocolate and other indulgences and the promise to resume working out at the gym.
Recent Examples on the Web Soon, in an extraordinary and humiliating wave of repudiation, news agencies including the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Reuters, and Getty all issued kill notices for the picture, forbidding its distribution on their channels. Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2024 However, in its 1515 repudiation of the printing press the empire rejected math and science—forfeiting its claim as a leading center of culture. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2023 This means not only a total repudiation of Palestinian statehood, but also a pledge to rip up what’s left of the Oslo Accords. Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2024 Banning Machado from running for president amounts to a repudiation of the agreement, both the opposition and the United States have claimed. Rafael Romo, CNN, 7 Feb. 2024 The election results were widely seen as a repudiation of the military government that has ruled since 2014 after seizing power in a coup. Time, 3 July 2023 In a second administration, Trump and his allies are determined to engineer a sweeping transformation of American government, including a further repudiation of America as a land of immigrants and a politicization of the Justice Department and other agencies of the executive branch. Danny Hakim, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2024 His de facto repudiation of past promises made by us have largely been continued by his successor, Joe Biden. Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 14 Jan. 2024 Israel’s denial of water, food, and fuel — all essential for life — into Gaza is a de facto repudiation of its duty to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need. Leonard Rubenstein, STAT, 14 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'repudiation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of repudiation was circa 1530

Dictionary Entries Near repudiation

Cite this Entry

“Repudiation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repudiation. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Legal Definition

repudiation

noun
re·​pu·​di·​a·​tion ri-ˌpyü-dē-ˈā-shən How to pronounce repudiation (audio)
: the rejection or renunciation of a duty or obligation (as under a contract)
especially : anticipatory repudiation

Note: A party aggrieved by a repudiation may consider a repudiated contract to have been breached and bring an action for relief.

More from Merriam-Webster on repudiation

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