reneging

verb

present participle of renege
1
as in withdrawing
to break a promise or agreement my so-called best friend promised to help me move, only to renege come Saturday morning

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in renouncing
to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to) refused to renege the principles by which she had always lived her life, even if it resulted in losing her business

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reneging Mamdani even endorsed Espaillat’s reelection bid before reneging and backing the aforementioned Chevalier. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026 At one point officials were contemplating a proposal for a hotel along with newer retail, and only three years ago paid a $2 million settlement to a previous developer who accused the town of reneging on a deal. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2026 Witnesses to the raid maintained that the protest was lawful and accused Martin Berger, SAIC’s provost, of reneging on a promise to allow student leaders to reach an internal compromise before involving police. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 9 June 2026 The New York Times reported that Mamdani had vowed to back Espaillat, and was now reneging on that commitment. — Joseph Strauss, Sun Sentinel, 1 June 2026 Everlane has been criticized before for reneging on its commitment to transparency when convenient. — Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 20 May 2026 Musk is accusing Altman of ‘robbing a charity,’ by reneging on OpenAI’s original non profit mission. — Gemma Allen, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026 The lawsuit filed last month by Moriarty and the state accuses the federal government of reneging on its promise to cooperate with state investigations after the surge of some 3,000 federal law enforcement officers into Minnesota. — Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 16 Apr. 2026 The lawsuit accuses the federal government of reneging on its promise to cooperate with state investigations after the surge of around 3,000 federal law enforcement officers into Minnesota. — Mark Vancleave, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reneging
  1. withdrawing
  2. renouncing
  3. recalling
  4. retracting
  5. backing out
  6. denying
  7. backing down
  8. repealing
Verb
  • The road map involves Hamas gradually giving up its weapons while Israeli forces halt attacks and begin withdrawing from Gaza.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Dozens of additional settlers arrived, moving boulders into the road and throwing rocks at the security forces, who were seen firing sound grenades and spraying settlers with pepper spray before withdrawing.
    — Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of withdrawing
Verb
  • In these photographs, the maternal body enters spaces designed around seduction, aspiration, and idealized femininity without renouncing any of them.
    — Alessia Glaviano, Vogue, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The 2019 Business Roundtable statement renouncing MSV changed rhetoric.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of renouncing
Verb
  • Toyota is recalling more than half a million vehicles due to an issue with the cars' instrument cluster display, which may increase the risk of a crash.
    — Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Taylor Farms, the agricultural giant whose lettuce has been linked to the deadly cyclospora outbreak, is recalling several prepared products made with jalapeños amid a salmonella outbreak linked to the peppers.
    — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of recalling
Verb
  • Vivo and Oppo phones have relied on various gimmicks, like smaller gimbals and pop-out lenses, to improve camera performance, though not to the extent of a physically retracting gimbal.
    — Florence Ion, PC Magazine, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The remote control has mixed reviews, with this seemingly retracting from its otherwise glowing reviews.
    — Tantse Walter, Space.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of retracting
Verb
  • Sources said a different Big 12 team, TCU, was the initial target before backing out of what essentially is a home game for the Aztecs.
    — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 June 2026
  • Hazel was chasing a stream of water down the street while her father was pressure washing their driveway outside when she was hit by a car backing out of a nearby driveway, her parents told KPCQ.
    — Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
Definition of backing out
Verb
  • Pinch-runner Sung-Mun Song scored that winner with a deft headfirst slide, denying Sanchez’s tag attempt after a good (but high) throw from rookie right fielder Luis Lara one play after Lara denied Jackson Merrill’s a game-winning extra-base hit.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Mike Lindell, MyPillow CEO and amplifier of the most absurd of MAGA’s many election-denying claims, was defeated convincingly in his bid for the GOP nomination for governor.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of denying
Verb
  • The White House has dismissed these claims, but those who filed the lawsuit are not backing down.
    — Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 10 July 2026
  • In spite of the backlash, the Seattle committee showed no signs of backing down.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 26 June 2026
Definition of backing down
Verb
  • Carr’s legal arguments The Carr FCC makes several arguments to support its claim that Congress didn’t intend to forbid the FCC from changing or repealing the cap.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The pathway to adoption resembles that of a sales tax, with the addition of repealing the 2017 statewide ban on taxing food and beverages.
    — Stephanie Leiser, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of repealing

Browse Nearby Words

reneges
reneging
renegotiate
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Cite this Entry

“Reneging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reneging. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on reneging

Nglish: Translation of reneging for Spanish Speakers

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