"Disavow" vs. "renounce": words of rejection

Reviewed and edited by

Lloyd Cooper 18/02/2025, 21:26

English.me team member

Disavow and renounce. What's the difference?

What is similar?

Both "disavow" and "renounce" involve rejecting, denying, or distancing oneself from something such as a belief, claim, association, or responsibility.

What is different?

"Disavow" means to deny any responsibility for or connection to something, often disassociating oneself from it. "Renounce" means to voluntarily give up, abandon, or formally reject a claim, right, possession, or belief.

Which one is more common?

Examples of usage

Disavow

The politician disavowed any knowledge of the illegal activities.
She disavowed her earlier statements when new evidence emerged.
The company disavowed responsibility for the defective products.

Renounce

He renounced his claim to the inheritance.
They decided to renounce their old habits and start anew.
She renounced her citizenship to become a citizen of another country.