1
: a usually formal, solemn, and binding agreement : compact
… international law, which depends upon the sanctity of covenants between rulers.—
George H. Sabine
George H. Sabine2
a
: a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action
the deed conveying the land contained restrictive covenants
b
: the common-law action to recover damages for breach of such a contract
covenanted; covenanting; covenants
: to promise by a covenant : pledge
: to enter into a covenant : contract
Examples of covenant in a Sentence
Noun
an international covenant on human rights
The restrictive covenants of the building development prohibit the construction of buildings over 30 feet tall.
Verb
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
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
Recent Examples on the Web
Alex V. Cipolle, Twin Cities, 27 Apr. 2025
Scaling was expensive and complex, and innovation was often bottlenecked by the limited flexibility of proprietary systems and restrictive vendor support covenants.
—Alex Freedland, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
By the end of World War II, most properties in Altadena had racially restrictive deeds or covenants – a trend being repeated in white suburbs across the country.
—Calvin Schermerhorn, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2025
The company faces risks related to its ability to maintain compliance with financial covenants under its Senior Term Loan and to generate sufficient cash flow to meet its obligations.
—Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for covenant
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Noun
Director Chad Roberts said these digital records could then be used by historians, scholars and policymakers to study the connection between racial housing covenants, redlining and zoning, and could be a resource for individuals to research the history of their homes and neighborhoods.
—Alex V. Cipolle, Twin Cities, 27 Apr. 2025
Scaling was expensive and complex, and innovation was often bottlenecked by the limited flexibility of proprietary systems and restrictive vendor support covenants.
—Alex Freedland, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
By the end of World War II, most properties in Altadena had racially restrictive deeds or covenants – a trend being repeated in white suburbs across the country.
—Calvin Schermerhorn, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2025
The company faces risks related to its ability to maintain compliance with financial covenants under its Senior Term Loan and to generate sufficient cash flow to meet its obligations.
—Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for covenant
Cite this Entry
“Covenant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/covenant. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
covenant
1 of 2 noun
cov·e·nant
ˈkəv-(ə-)nənt 
: a solemn agreement : contract
covenant
2 of 2 verb
cov·e·nant
ˈkəv-(ə-)nənt
-ə-ˌnant
1
: to promise by a covenant : pledge
2
: to enter into a covenant
Legal Definition
covenant
noun
cov·e·nant
ˈkə-və-nənt
1
: an official agreement or compact
an international covenant on human rights
2
a
: a contract in its entirety or a promise within a contract for the performance or nonperformance of a particular act
a covenant not to sue
specifically
: a promise relating to the transfer, possession, or ownership of real property see also covenant not to compete, restrictive covenant
b
: a warranty in a deed assuring the grantee especially against defects in title
a covenant for quiet enjoyment
see also run
covenant
verb
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