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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 reneging
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
Instead, Doreen turns up a couple hours later with a new car, unapologetic about reneging on their agreement.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2025
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
Instead, Doreen turns up a couple hours later with a new car, unapologetic about reneging on their agreement.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reneging
Verb
-
But again, no school can prevent a player from withdrawing and enrolling elsewhere.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
With his previous attorney withdrawing from the case, arraignment was postponed Wednesday for Rob Reiner’s youngest son, who is charged with murdering the famed filmmaker and his photographer wife Michele in their Brentwood home.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Simmons laughs when recalling the experience.—
Ralphie Aversa,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Gwyneth Paltrow is recalling a time when she was fired from a film amid her split from Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
After backing out of Monday's Dawson's Creek cast reunion in New York City due to illness, James Van Der Beek still made a surprise appearance at the event in a sweet video message for attendees and his fellow cast members.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Sep. 2025
-
This could either result in investors backing out of purchasing the debt, or demanding higher interest payments to offset the risk.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Indonesian government cited security and safety concerns for denying the visas, but an Israel Gymnastics Federation (IGF) spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that the country's security team gave clearance to its athletes.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
-
The township's planning commission voted in late September to recommend denying rezoning for the project, which still must go before the county planning commission and township board.—
Keith Matheny,
Freep.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Democrats are doubling down that Republicans are the ones to blame for federal workers’ pain, arguing that backing down and voting for the GOP continuing resolution will likely come back to haunt them.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is not backing down in its fight against National Public Radio.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In his opening moves as mayor, Mamdani signed executive orders dealing with housing and one repealing all of former Mayor Eric Adams’s executive orders signed after his indictment on corruption charges in September 2024.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Jan. 2026
-
Third, negotiators must start by repealing the Gainful Employment Rule, especially since the OBBBA will replace it with the earnings premium.—
Bob Carey,
Boston Herald,
20 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reneging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reneging. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share