Renounce — Meaning, Definition, & Examples | SAT Vocabulary
"Renounce" means to formally give up or refuse something. Definition, pronunciation, and examples with an SAT focus.
📣 TL;DR: Renounce means to formally declare that you’re giving up or rejecting something (like a claim, belief, or right). Mnemonic to help remember: RENOUNCE the OUNCE!! (Meaning you won’t buy any more gold ingots.)
ℹ️ Part of Speech of Renounce
renounce is a VERB.
🗣️ Pronunciation of Renounce
IPA: /rɪˈnaʊns/ (See IPA key)
Respelling: rih-NOWNS
📚️ Definition of Renounce
To formally declare that you are giving up, rejecting, or refusing to follow something (such as a claim, right, belief, or association). When you renounce something, you publicly and officially cut ties with it. Example: to renounce claim to the throne.
📰 Examples of Renounce
Here are some examples of the word renounce:
After tasting canned spinach for the first time, my little brother Mikey renounced all canned vegetables forever.
In 1936, King Edward VIII renounced the British throne to marry the American woman Wallis Simpson.
“I have from an early age abjured the use of meat, and the time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men.” — Leonardo da Vinci, who (likely) renounced eating meat to practice vegetarianism
✍️ Quiz Yourself
Which of the following would most accurately be described as renouncing?
A) Hoping for a positive, but unlikely, outcome.
B) Postponing an important doctor’s appointment.
C) Giving up an important position.
D) Negotiating a more favorable contract.
I will put the answer in the comments later/in the future.
The best answer is C!