Synonyms for renounce
Definitions
- v. 1
To decline further association with someone or something, disown.
- v. 2
To give up, resign, surrender.
to renounce a title to land or to a throne
- v. 3
To cast off, repudiate.
Related words
- Word family
- renounceable renouncement
Forms
- Past participle
- renounced
e.g. renounced → repudiated, abjured, abandoned, relinquished…
Choose the right word
Abjure, discard, forswear, recall, recant, renounce, retract, and revoke, like abandon, imply some previous connection. re, back, and nuntio, bear a message) is to declare against and give up formally and definitively; as, to renounce the pomps and vanities of the world.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- abandon Many Armenians were forced to abandon their lands.
- relinquish Power is a drug which few ever manage to relinquish.
- disown If Republicans hated pedophiles, they would disown Ted Nugent.
- repudiate My parents would repudiate my brother if they ever found out he was gay.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| renounce | steady | |
| abandon | steady | |
| relinquish | steady | |
| disown | rising | |
| repudiate | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- drop1, quit1, deny2, cede1
- 5 letters
- leave1, waive1, forgo2
- 6 letters
- refuse2, slight1, reject2, revoke2, vacate2, disown2, recant2, abjure, atsake
- 7 letters
- decline2, abandon3, neglect2, discard2, retract2, forsake2, disavow3
- 8 letters
- abdicate3, disclaim2
- 9 letters
- repudiate4
- 10 letters
- relinquish3
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (deny2 = 2 syllables).