1
as in withdrawing
to break a promise or agreement
my so-called best friend promised to help me move, only to renege come Saturday morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in renouncing
to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to)
refused to renege the principles by which she had always lived her life, even if it resulted in losing her business
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Recent Examples of reneging
But Republicans reject the idea of reopening months of bipartisan negotiations and argue that Democrats are reneging on a deal their own appropriators helped write, which also passed the House last week, before the shooting in Minneapolis.
—
Nik Popli, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
The trial is underway Prosecutors responded to Puig reneging on the plea agreement by charging him with one count of obstruction of justice and two counts of making false statements to federal officials.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Then there’s complicity in the Gaza genocide, reneging on promises to address unequal pensions for British women, etc.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
But there are political realities at play too, because reneging on deals could affect other foreign policy or economic priorities.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 3 Nov. 2025
Tuesday’s announcement comes after Israel accused Hamas of violating the truce by firing on Israeli forces in Rafah and reneging on promises to return missing hostage remains.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Oct. 2025
In the seven-page lawsuit, Giles also accuses Cole of reneging on other promises related to the collaboration.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025
Trump suggested Hamas was reneging on its promise to return the dead, and threatened the group with violence.
—Maayan Lubell, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
Newsom committed Wednesday to release some state funding to the struggling agencies, including BART and AC Transit, after lawmakers raised the alarm that the governor was reneging on his prior commitment to do so.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
Nik Popli, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
The trial is underway Prosecutors responded to Puig reneging on the plea agreement by charging him with one count of obstruction of justice and two counts of making false statements to federal officials.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Then there’s complicity in the Gaza genocide, reneging on promises to address unequal pensions for British women, etc.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
But there are political realities at play too, because reneging on deals could affect other foreign policy or economic priorities.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 3 Nov. 2025
Tuesday’s announcement comes after Israel accused Hamas of violating the truce by firing on Israeli forces in Rafah and reneging on promises to return missing hostage remains.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Oct. 2025
In the seven-page lawsuit, Giles also accuses Cole of reneging on other promises related to the collaboration.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025
Trump suggested Hamas was reneging on its promise to return the dead, and threatened the group with violence.
—Maayan Lubell, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
Newsom committed Wednesday to release some state funding to the struggling agencies, including BART and AC Transit, after lawmakers raised the alarm that the governor was reneging on his prior commitment to do so.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reneging
Verb
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India agreed to draw down its purchases, thereby withdrawing a critical financial lifeline for Russia amid its war against Ukraine.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
9 Feb. 2026
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Investigators said Neves-Valente was a former Brown University student who attended the Ivy League school from 2000 to 2001 as part of a PhD program in physics before formally withdrawing in the fall of 2003.—
Ashley Carnahan,
FOXNews.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Margaret’s father succeeded him as King George VI, and her mother Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, never forgave the duke for renouncing his duty to his country.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
29 Dec. 2025
-
Ukraine withdrawing from all of the Donbas, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, and Kyiv officially renouncing its aim to join NATO.—
Andrea Shalal,
USA Today,
28 Dec. 2025
Verb
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As California’s water crisis worsened, recalling the constant swish of sprinklers throughout her childhood piqued her interest in native plants.—
Brittany Levine Beckman,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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After the candle ceremony, some left, while others prayed or chatted quietly, fondly recalling their memories of the Guthries.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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School public safety had initially reported that a suspect had been taken into custody before retracting that statement.—
Kierra Frazier,
CBS News,
13 Dec. 2025
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This series of exemptions is part of EPA’s suite of PFAS de-regulation that includes approving PFAS-laden pesticides and retracting some of its maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) that were the result of years of careful research and policymaking.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Lost my respect by backing out.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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In America, a property owner backing out of a location agreement can lead to legal action and is rare.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Authorities are increasingly denying detainees access to legal counsel and often holding them for days or weeks before allowing any phone calls to family.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 Feb. 2026
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Decades later, Faraci cooperated with Modrowski’s lawyer during the post-conviction proceedings and submitted two affidavits in 2019 and 2011 denying Modrowski was involved, court records show.—
Christy Gutowski,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But some fashion firms also don’t plan on backing down from their diversity efforts.—
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
5 Feb. 2026
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White House border policy advisor Tom Homan said Thursday during a press conference that street operations in Minneapolis would wind down if agents were allowed into local jails instead and asserted the federal government was not backing down on its aggressive immigration agenda.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Changes include repealing a prohibition from constructing or operating a nuclear facility without an IDEM permit and repealing the authorization for the commissioner to conduct a public hearing on the environmental effects.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
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The crux of the Democrats’ deception is that repealing 287(g) will make our communities safer.—
Robin Grammer,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reneging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reneging. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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