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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of covenants
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
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
Yolo County officials used technology to identify 1,172 documents that included restrictive covenants.
—Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Black Detroiters were systematically excluded from quality neighborhoods by restrictive covenants embedded in property deeds.
—Anita Moncrease, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2026
Jesse challenges fast-food chains into signing covenants with PUSH to hire and distribute proportionally to their black customers; Noah turns up with a chain of Wendy's, Bojangles, and Church's Fried Chicken in both Chicago and New York.
—Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
The circa-1974 building’s facade and some interior spaces must be preserved in keeping with historic covenants tied to the property.
—Madison Iszler, San Antonio Express-News, 15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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
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
Yolo County officials used technology to identify 1,172 documents that included restrictive covenants.
—Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Black Detroiters were systematically excluded from quality neighborhoods by restrictive covenants embedded in property deeds.
—Anita Moncrease, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2026
Jesse challenges fast-food chains into signing covenants with PUSH to hire and distribute proportionally to their black customers; Noah turns up with a chain of Wendy's, Bojangles, and Church's Fried Chicken in both Chicago and New York.
—Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
The circa-1974 building’s facade and some interior spaces must be preserved in keeping with historic covenants tied to the property.
—Madison Iszler, San Antonio Express-News, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for covenants
Noun
-
What are the major conventions and treaties?—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
8 Apr. 2026
-
There is no permanent civilian population in Antarctica, and political demonstrations there are extremely rare due to environmental restrictions and international treaties governing the region.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
So while OpenAI kicked off the generative AI boom with the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, Anthropic may be best set up to win contracts from the biggest spenders.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Such contracts wind up costing more in the long run because of interest payments.—
Alexa St. John,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
To this end, the District has negotiated tirelessly with PEA leadership and reached tentative agreements on several important issues.—
Julia Avant,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
At its core, Zionism embraces the idea of regional coexistence, reflected in Israel’s long-standing efforts to pursue peace, from its agreements with Egypt and Jordan to the Abraham Accords and other regional initiatives.—
Elad Strohmayer,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 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
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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
-
The Democrats’ next presidential primary season won’t begin in earnest until after November’s midterm elections, but this week’s conference showcased a collection of Democrats already jockeying for position in what promises to be a crowded competition.—
Steve Peoples,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The presidential primary season won't begin in earnest until after November's midterm elections, but this week's conference is showcasing a collection of Democrats already jockeying for position in what promises to be a crowded primary fight.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But the deals are done project by project, rather than via the older model of pacts that paid out millions in development funds and compensation over three or four years.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Brown told reporters the agreement with New Zealand didn’t affect his country’s other pacts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Artnet News reports that guarantees will be in place for the sale, which will launch the evening of May 20 with nine works by Gerhard Richter, of whom Goodman was an early and longtime supporter.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
10 Apr. 2026
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Why many Offers in Compromise are rejected There are no guarantees that an OIC will be approved.—
Deane Biermeier,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While not exactly a feminist screed, the script grants nary a free pass to the glut of hackneyed gender conventions in the golden-age canon without at least cracking a joke.—
Naveen Kumar,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
-
With one month remaining before the state political conventions, the race for governor is heating up on the Republican and Democratic sides with charges, countercharges and brickbats.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Covenants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/covenants. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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