renege

/ɹɪˈnɛɡ/

//ɹɪˈnɛɡ// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"renege" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“renege” is uncommon English (frequency #70,205 among 21,470 “R” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#70,205
frequency rank, English
21,470
“R” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To break a promise or commitment; to go back on one's word.

Key facts for renege
PropertyValue
Headwordrenege
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹɪˈnɛɡ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#70,205
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “renege” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). renege lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

renege is uncommon English at frequency #70,205 among 21,470 “R” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɹɪˈnɛɡ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for renege in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin renegō, from negō (“I deny”). Possibly influenced by renegotiate. Doublet of renay. See also renegade. The correct English form is renege, spelled R-E-N-E-G-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To break a promise or commitment; to go back on one's word.
  2. 2
    To break one's commitment to follow suit when capable.
  3. 3
    To deny; to renounce

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin renegō, from negō (“I deny”). Possibly influenced by renegotiate. Doublet of renay. See also renegade.

This word in other languages

verleugnen(Deutsch)renegar(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "renege"?
"renege" is spelled R-E-N-E-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈnɛɡ/.
What does "renege" mean?
As a verb, "renege" means: To break a promise or commitment; to go back on one's word.
How do you pronounce "renege"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "renege" is /ɹɪˈnɛɡ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "renege"?
Borrowed from Latin renegō, from negō (“I deny”). Possibly influenced by renegotiate. Doublet of renay. See also renegade. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “renege”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-N-E-G-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɹɪˈnɛɡ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list