Commonly Confused Words: Renounce vs. Denounce

Call me nerdy, but I love all things nuanced and contextual, especially regarding grammar and writing. It makes me particularly well-suited for my self-appointed role in Commonly Confused Word activism. Take renounce vs. denounce, for example.

Even though the definitions of these similar words are quite distinct, the fact that they’re spelled nearly the same and both focus on rejection makes it pretty easy to mix them up.

(If you make a purchase using the links in this post, we may earn a commission.)

Differences Between Renounce vs. Denounce at a Glance

Renounce means:

To formally declare that you are giving up or rejecting something, such as a title, position, belief, or claim

Denounce means a few things that are different but along the same track:

To publicly declare that something or someone is blameworthy or evil, often in a formal or official manner
To inform against a person or organization
To announce formally the termination of an agreement or arrangement

When To Use Renounce

Typically, you should use renounce when you’re publicly rejecting something that you are, have, or believe.

For instance, a religious leader might renounce their previous teachings or affiliation with a particular faith after experiencing a significant personal revelation.

Examples of Renounce in a Sentence

Give up a Title: Maria renounced her title as Chairperson after realizing the company’s business practices conflicted with her ethical standards.
Give up a Claim: Amélie renounced her inheritance because her family didn’t think her dedication to writing was a worthy issue.
Give up a Role: Jacques had to renounce his role as a math mentor due to the increasing demands of his career as a full-time educator.

When To Use Denounce

Use denounce when you wish to formally reject someone else or something that you believe is wrong.

For example, a Commonly Confused Word activist might denounce a blogger that wantonly misused through, thru and threw. Or a librarian might denounce a school that bans books.

Examples of Denounce in a Sentence

Declare Blame: The mayor publicly denounced the company for polluting the local river, calling their actions harmful to the community.
Inform Against: The whistleblower denounced the organization to the authorities, providing evidence of their illegal financial activities.
Announce a Termination: After negotiations failed to meet their new economic policies, the country formally denounced the trade agreement.

Understanding Renounce and Denounce: When To Reject and When To Condemn

Now that we have renounce and denounce straight, double-check other confusing words so that you don’t accidentally mix them up!

If you’re passionate about mastering precise word usage (or just want extra vocabulary support), check out these valuable language resources:

👉BUY – The Vocabulary Builder Workbook: Simple Lessons and Activities to Teach Yourself Over 1,400 Must-Know Words

👉BUY – Commonly Misspelled and Confused Words QuickStudy Laminated Reference Guide

👉BUY – The Well-Spoken Thesaurus

What have you renounced or denounced lately? Take your stand in the comments below!

Author
Recent Posts

Amber Morris

Amber Morris is a professional copyeditor with over fifteen years of experience. She received a Bachelor of Arts in English from UNLV and an editing certification from UC Berkeley’s Professional Sequence in Editing program.

Amber has edited everything from published novels to game campaigns to SEO content, but she currently spends her days mentoring writers and editors. For more than 10 years, Amber has been teaching the rules and nuances of language to help others improve their writing and editing skills and build their confidence as content creators.

GrammarExample