covenant 1 of 2

Definition of covenantnext
1
as in treaty
a formal agreement between two or more nations or peoples the two countries signed a peace covenant that, it was hoped, would put an end to decades of bitter conflict

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2
3
as in agreement
an arrangement about action to be taken the covenant that existed among neighbors in olden times whereby they would quickly respond to the call to help put out one another's house fires

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covenant

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to bargain
to come to an arrangement as to a course of action a traditional rule held that a husband could not enter into a covenant with his wife, because that was the equivalent of covenanting with himself

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2
as in to promise
to make a solemn declaration of intent the home buyers had to covenant that they would restore and keep the house for at least 10 years in exchange for a low mortgage rate

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of covenant
Noun
Like some other suburbs at the time, restrictive covenants kept minorities out. Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 June 2026 The eight units are to be identified as affordable in the project’s covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs). Jim Drummond, Oc Register, 4 June 2026 The board action came upon the recent completion of a mapping project of racial covenants found in Washington County property deeds dating from 1910 to 1968. Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 2 June 2026 The exhibit highlighted racially restrictive covenants, which didn’t allow communities of color to buy, own, use or rent properties often in suburban neighborhoods, including some in Johnson County. Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for covenant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for covenant
Noun
  • The treaty involves regular onsite inspections by the IAEA to confirm that countries are complying with the treaty’s terms.
    Adithi Ramakrishnan, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
  • But the treaty was plagued with problems even in its formation.
    Pamela Avila, CNN Money, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • References to the president were also stripped from email signatures and communications, as well as papers like brochures, press releases and contracts.
    Joe Walsh, CBS News, 20 June 2026
  • Peinado said that a businessman who allegedly benefited from the government contracts and the consultant that worked for Gómez will also stand trial.
    ABC News, ABC News, 20 June 2026
Noun
  • As part of the distribution agreement, the slate will also roll out in mainland China via Xiaohongshu, the digital lifestyle platform whose daily active user base tops 200 million.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 June 2026
  • One of the project’s most significant adversaries is the city of Sacramento — while the area is not under their governance, city officials argue the development would violate a decades-old habitat conservation agreement with the county.
    Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • Professional sports are better equipped to withstand a culture increasingly saturated by gambling because the rules are bargained, not improvised.
    Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 June 2026
  • While bargaining with fantasy and forgiveness, the song lyrics shed light on the cost of having to ask, hope or wait for something that will never come.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Alicent additionally promised Rhaenyra that a march to the Red Keep would be uneventful, because Aemond and Vhagar were bound for the front at Harrenhal.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 22 June 2026
  • Earlier this month, a Manhattan bar ran a promotion promising to comp customers’ drinks if the Knicks won the first game of the NBA Finals, per the New York Times.
    Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 21 June 2026
Noun
  • The pact also stipulates that the key Strait of Hormuz trading route will be reopened after months of disruption for the global economy, but particularly oil and gas markets.
    Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 19 June 2026
  • The legal obstacles also come as critics warn the pact gives Iran major economic benefits while leaving some of the most difficult nuclear and security questions for future negotiations.
    Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • Firms that deflect or offer guarantees that sound too clean are often the wrong fit, particularly for high-net-worth clients who cannot afford a second remediation campaign to clean up the first.
    Jason Phillips, USA Today, 17 June 2026
  • In practice, analysts say, that means renewable energy projects in African countries with weak sovereign ratings inherit the perception of sovereign risk even when projects themselves are commercially sound and backed by international guarantees.
    ABC News, ABC News, 17 June 2026
Noun
  • Hartfield faced each new challenge with dedication and humor, from using a bathroom as an audio booth while traveling with Political Reporter Shaun Boyd to a Democratic convention, or conducting an undercover investigative series on massage parlors.
    Christa Swanson, CBS News, 20 June 2026
  • Wilson was devastated by losing debates about the design of Congress and the presidency, and in particular by the convention’s refusal to acknowledge the centrality of regular people to the government.
    Jesse Wegman, The Atlantic, 20 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Covenant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/covenant. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.

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