What does reneging mean?
Reneging means to break an agreement, promise, or commitment after having agreed to it. The expression 'reneged on a deal' is especially common, and the word suggests a deliberate withdrawal from an obligation rather than an inability to meet it. Reneging is used in legal, business, political, and everyday contexts: a supplier may renege on a contract, while a politician may renege on campaign promises. Its negative tone makes it a forceful way to describe unfaithfulness or opportunism. The related noun 'renegade' also derives from the idea of abandoning an allegiance, while 'renegation' names the act or process of breaking an agreement. Although the word can describe any serious failure to honor a commitment, it is especially associated with promises and deals that others have relied upon.
verbTo fail to keep an agreement, promise, or commitment, especially by withdrawing from a deal after it has been made. It can also refer to abandoning a plan or obligation.
- To withdraw from or fail to honor an agreement, promise, or commitment after agreeing to it.
"The company reneged on its promise to deliver the new equipment by the end of the month."
"After months of negotiations, the supplier reneged on the contract."
"Many voters felt that the elected officials had reneged on their campaign promises."
Reneging turns a promise into a broken promise: the word remembers an abandonment and still warns us not to take commitments lightly.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does reneging come from?
The verb 'renege' developed from the noun 'renegade', which originally meant a person who had abandoned a faith or allegiance. 'Renegade' came through Old Spanish 'renegado' and Middle French 'renégat', ultimately from an Arabic term associated with abandonment or desertion. The modern verb 'renege' was formed in the 17th century in the sense of to renounce a faith or allegiance and later came to mean to withdraw from an agreement or promise. The present participle 'reneging' follows the ordinary English verb-forming pattern, with the addition of -ing.
Related word forms
How reneging is actually used
The verb is commonly used in the construction 'reneged on' something. It carries a strong negative connotation, implying an intentional failure to honor a commitment rather than a simple change of circumstances. The spelling 'reneging' is widely used in American English, while 'renege' and 'reneging' are also accepted in British English.
Easily confused with reneging
Reneging is the present participle of renege, while renege is the base form of the verb.
Reneging means to withdraw from an agreement or break a promise, whereas a renegade is a person who abandons an allegiance or causes disloyalty.