1
as in treaties
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in contracts
a formal agreement to fulfill an obligation
I had to sign a covenant that I would return the rental car on time
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in agreements
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in bargains
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in promises
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 covenants
Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Funds that cater to institutional investors focused on loans to middle-market borrowers that had more protective covenants and wider spreads, a feature that can also buffer potential losses, Gross said at Semafor World Economy in Washington, DC.
—Miles Weiss, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Your neighbor may be violating the covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs).
—Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
Your neighbor may be violating the covenants, conditions and restrictions.
—Jeanne Phillips, Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026
For decades, discriminatory housing policies — including redlining, racially restrictive covenants and predatory land-sale contracts — systematically extracted the very wealth from Black families that fuels neighborhood investment.
—Tonika Lewis Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Now, the statutory trust is no longer an area of concern, but SWP believes that the land is still subject to other restrictive covenants about development.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Lenders can also take advantage of AI to improve monitoring of borrower health and collateral to help monitor the terms of the new covenants.
—Adam Craig, Forbes.com, 12 Mar. 2026
Early 20th-century deed covenants explicitly barred Black, Chinese, or Japanese residents from buying or renting homes in the neighborhood.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Noun
Bond and financial covenants in loans and financial transactions are an example.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Funds that cater to institutional investors focused on loans to middle-market borrowers that had more protective covenants and wider spreads, a feature that can also buffer potential losses, Gross said at Semafor World Economy in Washington, DC.
—Miles Weiss, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Your neighbor may be violating the covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs).
—Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
Your neighbor may be violating the covenants, conditions and restrictions.
—Jeanne Phillips, Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026
For decades, discriminatory housing policies — including redlining, racially restrictive covenants and predatory land-sale contracts — systematically extracted the very wealth from Black families that fuels neighborhood investment.
—Tonika Lewis Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Now, the statutory trust is no longer an area of concern, but SWP believes that the land is still subject to other restrictive covenants about development.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Lenders can also take advantage of AI to improve monitoring of borrower health and collateral to help monitor the terms of the new covenants.
—Adam Craig, Forbes.com, 12 Mar. 2026
Early 20th-century deed covenants explicitly barred Black, Chinese, or Japanese residents from buying or renting homes in the neighborhood.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for covenants
Noun
-
Haudenosaunee laws and treaties, including Gayanashagowa, were communicated for centuries through wampum belts adorned with quahog shells.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2026
-
Under the Medicine Lodge treaties of 1867, the Southern Arapaho and Southern Cheyenne went to reservations in Indian Territory, now Oklahoma.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Black entrepreneurs continue to face tremendous obstacles securing funding, city contracts and institutional support.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
-
Workers had demanded a formalization of bonuses in their contracts, the scrapping of bonus caps, and a payout of 15% of Samsung's operating profits as bonuses.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
Separately, HiCloud also signed operational agreements with partners, including Shenergy Group, Shanghai Telecom, CCCC Third Harbor Engineering, and others.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
19 May 2026
-
This bill would authorize the state to enter into agreements with individual bargaining units to roll out the holiday.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
The union usually bargains in the same year as performers’ union SAG-AFTRA and directors’ union the Directors Guild of America.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Apr. 2026
-
One potential—though untested—workaround would be for conferences, which are private entities, to serve as a joint employer that bargains with a players’ union.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In that environment, a chatbot that can instantly draft a contract, interpret a clause or answer a compliance question promises speed and independence from expensive outside counsel.—
Robert Scott,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
-
If successful, Starship promises to dramatically reshape the global space industry by lowering the price-per-pound of hauling cargo to orbit by orders of magnitude.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
Truwit has struck sponsorship pacts with such blue-chip brands as Nike, and is on the corporate speaking tour for such heavyweights as Amazon, Merck and Bank of America.—
William Earl,
Variety,
19 May 2026
-
Pickett and Grier are signed to one-year pacts.—
Mike Kaye,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Money-back and lowest-price guarantees apply to tax resolution services only and cannot be applied to any other services offered by Alleviate Tax Relief.—
John Csiszar,
CNBC,
22 May 2026
-
Before a single ticket is ever sold, venues often need to front millions of dollars in guarantees to artists just to keep their calendars full.—
Azeem Khan,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
The film charts how Suzuki redefined postwar Japanese cinema by defying the conventions of the studio system, forging a style built on garish pop-art imagery and aggressive formal experimentation.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
20 May 2026
-
Convention and government facilities The city is proposing another $100 million bond to finance capital improvement projects for city conventions facilities and other government buildings.—
Dylan Lysen
May 19,
Kansas City Star,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Covenants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/covenants. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
