renege

verb

re·​nege ri-ˈneg 

also -ˈnāg, 

-ˈnig 

rē-

reneged; reneging

intransitive verb

1

: to go back on a promise or commitment

2

: revoke

3

obsolete : to make a denial

transitive verb

: deny, renounce

reneger noun

Synonyms of renege

• withdraw
• recall
• back out
• back down
• retract

Examples of renege in a Sentence

They had promised to pay her tuition but later reneged.

my so-called best friend promised to help me move, only to renege come Saturday morning

Recent Examples on the Web

An agreement made by one administration could be reneged on by the next. —Debak Das, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2026

The mayor of Hammond, Indiana, says train company Norfolk Southern is reneging on a promise to partly finance the construction of a pedestrian overpass at a dangerous rail crossing that was the subject of a ProPublica investigation. —Topher Sanders, ProPublica, 25 Mar. 2026

The lawsuit accuses Shell of reneging on a deal involving a TV show but tells a much broader story of the government influencing Paramount’s business dealings. —Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 17 Mar. 2026

After Carvalho famously reneged on his commitment to leave Miami-Dade schools for New York’s in 2018, Carranza was hired in Carvalho’s stead. —Jake Shore, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin renegare

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for renege

• big
• brig
• brigg
• dig
• fig
• gig
• jig
• mig
• pig
• prig
• rig
• sprig

Kids Definition

renege

verb

re·​nege ri-ˈnig  -ˈneg 

-ˈnēg, 

-ˈnāg

reneged; reneging

1

: deny

2

: to go back on a promise or agreement

reneged on paying the debt

reneger noun