English Reference

Phrasal verb

renege on

Definition

phrasal verb. to break a promise or fail to do what you previously agreed to do.

phrasal verb. to fail to fulfil a promise, commitment, or contractual obligation.

Examples

“The company decided to renege on the deal at the last minute.”

“After signing the initial agreement, the landlord tried to renege on the promise to renovate the kitchen before we moved in.”

“Political candidates often face intense scrutiny if they renege on key campaign pledges once they assume office, as voters expect consistency in policy implementation.”

Examples

simple

“The company decided to renege on the deal at the last minute.”

contextual

“After signing the initial agreement, the landlord tried to renege on the promise to renovate the kitchen before we moved in.”

complex

“Political candidates often face intense scrutiny if they renege on key campaign pledges once they assume office, as voters expect consistency in policy implementation.”

Usage

The phrasal verb is transitive and always takes a direct object introduced by the preposition 'on'.

Pitfall

renege the deal

renege on the deal

The verb is intransitive and requires the preposition 'on' to connect to the object.

Grammar

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/renege-on

English Reference