"Disavow" vs. "renounce": words of rejection
Reviewed and edited by
Lloyd Cooper 18/02/2025, 21:26
English.me team member

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.
- 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.