Word
renounce
Phoneticsre·nounce, stress on the second syllable
US/ɹɪˈnaʊns/
UK/ɹɪnˈaʊns/
Definitions
01to give up a right or claim
C1 · Advanced Law Formal
v. to officially say that you no longer want or have a right to something, like a title or a position.
v. to formally surrender or resign a right, title, or claim. Transitive — requires a direct object.
“The prince chose to renounce his right to the throne to marry for love.”
“Under the terms of the settlement, the former CEO was required to renounce all future claims to the company's intellectual property.”
Usage
Often used in legal or political contexts regarding titles, citizenship, or inheritance.
Synonyms
02to reject a belief or habit
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to state publicly that you no longer believe in something or will no longer do something.
v. to repudiate or disavow a previously held belief, allegiance, or habit, often by open declaration.
“He decided to renounce violence and work for peace instead.”
“The activist refused to renounce her political convictions, even when faced with the threat of imprisonment.”
Usage
Commonly takes abstract nouns like 'violence', 'beliefs', or 'faith' as objects.
03to disown or break ties
C1 · Advanced Formal · Literary
v. to say that you no longer want to be connected with someone or something.
v. to decline further association with a person, group, or cause; to disown.
“The church decided to renounce the extremist group for their hateful actions.”
“After the scandal broke, several sponsors moved quickly to renounce their ties to the disgraced athlete.”
04card games
C2 · Proficiency Technical
v. to play a card of a different suit because you do not have any of the suit that was led.
v. to fail to follow suit in a card game, specifically when the player lacks cards of the suit led.
“She had to renounce because she didn't have any hearts left in her hand.”
“A player who renounces when they actually hold a card of the suit led is said to have committed a revoke.”
Usage
Used almost exclusively in the context of trick-taking games like Bridge or Whist.
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“In practice though, many people just promise to renounce their other nationality, but then actually keep hold of their passport.” “Only there can an apostate renounce one’s religion or urge others to do the same.” “Unlike Leopardi, he believed humankind would on the whole be better off if it renounced religion.” Etymology
From Old French renoncier (French renoncer), from Latin renūntiō.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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