renegade

1 of 3

noun

ren·​e·​gade ˈre-ni-ˌgād 

1

: a deserter from one faith, cause, or allegiance to another

2

: an individual who rejects lawful or conventional behavior

renegade

2 of 3

verb

renegaded; renegading

intransitive verb

: to become a renegade

renegade

3 of 3

adjective

1

: having deserted a faith, cause, or religion for a hostile one

2

: having rejected tradition : unconventional

Synonyms

Noun

• deserter
• traitor
• rebel
• insurgent
• defector

Examples of renegade in a Sentence

Noun

The group was full of free spirits and renegades who challenged every assumption of what art should be.

She regaled him with stories about pirates and renegades on the high seas.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

As a result, work in the Texas House, including the passage of several bills unrelated to redistricting, ground to a halt and arrest warrants were issued for the renegade lawmakers, though these couldn't be enforced outside Texas. —James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025

VCs raining money on said brilliant renegades, despite signals that the market wasn’t quite mature enough and money was being lit on fire? —Cortney Harding, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025

Verb

Do Not Disturb follows Karegeya’s life from African herd boy to BMW-driving government spy to renegade refugee who fell prey to the boredom, loneliness, and conspiracies of exile. —Claude Gatebuke, The New York Review of Books, 10 June 2021

Adjective

As a result, work in the Texas House, including the passage of several bills unrelated to redistricting, ground to a halt and arrest warrants were issued for the renegade lawmakers, though these couldn't be enforced outside Texas. —James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025

There was something renegade about it, something deeply irreverent. —Rachel Handler, Vulture, 1 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Spanish renegado, from Medieval Latin renegatus, from past participle of renegare to deny, from Latin re- + negare to deny — more at negate

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1611, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1636, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for renegade

• accolade
• ambuscade
• antegrade
• balustrade
• barricade
• cannonade
• cavalcade
• centigrade
• chambermaid
• colonnade
• countertrade
• disobeyed

Kids Definition

renegade

1 of 2 noun

ren·​e·​gade ˈren-i-ˌgād 

1

: a person who deserts a faith, cause, or party

2

: a person who rejects lawful or acceptable behavior

renegade

2 of 2 adjective

1

: having deserted a faith, cause, or party

2

: having rejected tradition : unconventional