render

1 of 2

verb

ren·​der ˈren-dər 

rendered; rendering ˈren-d(ə-)riŋ  ; renders

transitive verb

1

a

: to melt (something) down

render suet

also : to extract (something) by melting

render fat from duck skin

b

: to convert (something) into another substance or form by means of a process or treatment

trees rendered into wood pulp

animal fat rendered into tallow

2

a

: to transmit (something) to another : deliver

… his father left him gold / … which was not rendered to him …

—Alfred Tennyson

b

: give up, yield

render one's life for a cause

… he rendered up his soul to its Creator …

—Edward Healy Thompson

c

: to furnish (something) for consideration, approval, or information

render a report

: such as

(1)

law : to hand down (a legal judgment)

a judgment rendered against a defendant

(2)

law : to agree on and report (a verdict)

The jury renders a verdict.

3

a

: to give (something) in return or retribution

… render them their due reward.

—Psalms 28:4 (Revised Standard Version)

b(1)

: give back, restore

That which she had given was rendered unto her again …

—Cornelia A. P. Comer

—usually used with back

… it occurred to me to ask Bob if he still had the pink slip … which he was supposed to keep with his passport and render back to the Haitian officials at departure.

—Madison Smart Bell

… was kidnapped … and forcibly rendered back [=returned] to Saudi Arabia.

—Alex Marquardt

(2)

: reflect, echo

The heart's echoes render / No song when the spirit is mute …

—Percy Bysshe Shelley

c

: to give (something) in acknowledgment of dependence or obligation : pay

render due respect

At the close of business Friday, a public apology for creating the confusion had not yet been rendered.

—Michael Nowels

d

: to do (a service) for another

render aid

4

a(1)

: to cause (someone or something) to be or become : make

was rendered unconscious

rendered him speechless

… the reliability of the data would be compromised, rendering it useless.

—Jessica Heath

(2)

: impart

b(1)

: to reproduce or represent (something) by artistic or verbal means : depict

… her sense that life has meaning that cannot be rendered in narrative …

—Roger Sale

(2)

: to give a performance of

perfectly rendered songs

(3)

: to produce a copy or version of

The documents are rendered in the original French.

(4)

: to execute the motions of

render a salute

c

: translate

render Latin into English

The word was incorrectly rendered as "light."

d

computers : to cause (something, such as an image or text) to display (as on a screen)

It is the most standards-compliant browser out there and it renders text and images even better than Firefox.

—Sandusky (Ohio) Register

The primary display renders images in rich and vivid color and with deep blacks.

—PCWorld

: to process for display on a computer screen

Taking two-dimensional imagery from the world's most advanced telescopes, the only computer enhancements have been to render the images into 3D.

—Kylie Northover

Animators guide characters through specific movements, scenes receive lighting and other finishing touches and, finally, computers render the animations into continuous frames.

—Jennifer Johnson

5

: to direct the execution of : administer

render justice

6

: to apply a coat of plaster or cement directly to

intransitive verb

1

computers : to display on a digital screen

The image rendered quickly.

Due to screen resolutions or platform restrictions, specific fonts might not render well.

—Pawel Grabowski

2

obsolete : to give recompense

For he will render to every man according to his works …

—Romans 2:6 (Revised Standard Version)

renderable

ˈren-d(ə-)rə-bəl 

adjective

renderer

ˈren-dər-ər 

noun

plural renderers

rendering noun

plural renderings

render

2 of 2

noun

: a return especially in goods or services due from a feudal tenant to his lord

Synonyms

Verb

• cede
• cough up
• deliver
• give up
• hand over
• lay down
• relinquish
• surrender
• turn in
• turn over
• yield

Examples of render in a Sentence

Verb

Depression can render a person helpless.

Both passengers were rendered unconscious in the accident.

The sight of her rendered him speechless.

The virus rendered the computer useless.

He witnessed a car accident and stopped to render aid.

The jury rendered a verdict of not guilty.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

But Part Two told the story of Paul Atreides’s rise to power with a satisfying mix of triumph and gruesomeness, rendering his planetary jihad in awe-inspiring fashion. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2024

Without serious mitigation efforts, cities like Galveston could see large portions submerged or rendered uninhabitable. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024

Few films have ever rendered a major work of fiction so innovatively yet so faithfully. —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2024

But, footage of piles of dead cows awaiting pickup by rendering trucks on California roadways has inspired further questioning. —Crystal Heath and Gene Baur, TIME, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English rendren, from Anglo-French rendre to give back, surrender, from Vulgar Latin *rendere, alteration of Latin reddere, partly from re- + dare to give & partly from re- + -dere to put — more at date, do

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 4c

Noun

1647, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

render

verb

ren·​der

ˈren-dər

rendered; rendering

-d(ə-)riŋ

1

: to obtain by heating

render lard from fat

2

a

: to furnish or give to another : deliver

render a report

render aid

b

: surrender entry 1 sense 1, give up

rendered their lives to save others

3

: to give in return

render thanks

4

a

: to cause to be or become

render a person helpless

b

: perform sense 3a

render a salute

c

: perform sense 3b

render a song

d

: translate sense 3a, b

render Latin into English

renderable

-d(ə-)rə-bəl

adjective

renderer

-dər-ər

noun

Legal Definition

render

transitive verb

ren·​der ˈren-dər 

1

: to transmit to another : deliver

2

: to furnish for consideration, approval, or information: as

a

: hand down

render a judgment

b

: to agree on and report (a verdict) compare enter

3

: to give in acknowledgment of dependence or obligation : make payment of

4

: to direct the execution of

render justice

renderable adjective