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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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
Several players engaged in a form of protest by writing Bible verses on their hats, specifically referencing a verse from Genesis that discusses the rainbow representing God's covenant. Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2026 The Bible verse refers to when God made the rainbow as a sign of His covenant with Noah and all living creatures in the Jewish and Christian traditions. David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 19 June 2026 In the passage from Genesis, God vowed to never again flood the Earth and declared the rainbow to be a symbol of his covenant with all living creatures. Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 19 June 2026 The portion of the Genesis verse cited by Roupp on his hat included God's promise to never again send a worldwide flood and the rainbow in the sky is the sign of that covenant. CBS News, 17 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for covenant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for covenant
Noun
  • The 60-day memorandum of understanding treaty never properly addressed control of the strait, and now it’s undone.
    Jordan Blum, Fortune, 18 July 2026
  • The statement also calls for a new international treaty explicitly dealing with the positive and negative effects of satellite constellations.
    Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 16 July 2026
Noun
  • On the tour of East Asia a year ago, Liverpool had to wear the previous season’s Nike strip and delayed confirming squad numbers as the new contract with Adidas didn’t start until August 1.
    James Pearce, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • And Bobo can breathe a little easier down there, especially now with that contract in hand.
    Greg Dudek, Boston Herald, 19 July 2026
Noun
  • AlignSphere Ventures is asking the city for a conditional-use permit to build the hospital, as well as a development-agreement modification and a preliminary plat.
    Rose Evans July 24, Idaho Statesman, 24 July 2026
  • Growing societal acceptance of and support for working mothers is part of that change, as is an NWSL collective-bargaining agreement featuring protections and provisions for mothers and childcare.
    PJ Green July 24, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026
Verb
  • No deployment date has been set for Hyundai’s Korean plants at all, so the union is bargaining pre-emptively, trying to lock in protections before the humanoid robots show up rather than after.
    John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • The union that represents many of Cottonwood’s employees — the National Union of Healthcare Workers — was informed Monday night, and will bargain with the facility over the terms of the closure, spokesperson Matthew Artz said in an email.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
Verb
  • By 2009, with lavish pension benefits promised but unpaid, CalPERS had $115 billion in debt.
    Zachary Christensen, Oc Register, 24 July 2026
  • Local officials have expressed concern that the Games will not bring the economic impact organizers have promised — somewhere in the $13-18 billion range.
    Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Noun
  • After selecting Braden Smith 38th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Pacers agreed to bring him in on a two-way deal, then the team signed Kobe Brown to a two-way pact early in the free agency period.
    Tony East, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • The pact will see ZDF’s on-demand content integrated into ProSieben’s streaming service, Joyn, from the fourth quarter of this year.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 21 July 2026
Noun
  • Distance from the front lines is no longer a guarantee of safety.
    Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • Many of the housing units that have been built in Manchester’s city center, sometimes with support from public loans or loan guarantees, are expensive market-rate apartments; more affordable units are still hard to find.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
Noun
  • Officials hope the event will fuel convention bookings for the next five years and reinvigorate international travel to town.
    Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 20 July 2026
  • Burnham’s faith is significant given the centuries of legislation and convention that effectively prevented Catholics from becoming prime minister.
    Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 20 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Covenant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/covenant. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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