Standard Lemma guide

renew

noun · verb · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɹɪˈnjuː/
  • British, Southern, Standard: /ɹɪˈnjʉw/
  • Canada, General-American: /ɹɪˈnju/
  • Canada, General-American: /ɹɪˈnu/
  • California: /ɹɪˈnu/
  • California: [ɹɪˈnɪʉ̯] California Vowel Shift
  • California, Southern: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian, New-Zealand: /ɹəˈnjʉː/
  • Scotland: /ɹɪˈnjʉ/
  • Wales: /ɹɪˈnɪʊ/
  • rhymes with -uː
  • CMU ARPABET: R IH0 N UW1 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Synonym of renewal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: renewal

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To make (something) new again; to restore to freshness or original condition.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To replace (something which has broken etc.); to replenish (something which has been exhausted), to keep up a required supply of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To make new spiritually; to regenerate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: lifestyle, religion, theology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To become new, or as new; to revive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To begin again; to recommence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • This murder has been a cold case for decades until last year when the new sheriff renewed the investigation.
  • 1660, John Dryden, translating Virgil, (apparently from Eclogue 4), a snippet of translation used to introduce Dryden's Astræa Redux: A poem on the happy restoration and return of His Sacred Majesty Charles II The last great age, foretold by sacred rhymes, Renews its finished course; Saturnian times Roll round again.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To repeat.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: rare

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To extend a period of loan, especially a library book that is due to be returned.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, transitive

Examples

  • I'd like to renew these three books. Did you know that you can renew online?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

cause to appear in a new form

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the old product was reincarnated to appeal to a younger market

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: reincarnate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: regenerate, restore, rejuvenate

10

verb

Meaning 10

reestablish on a new, usually improved, basis or make new or like new

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We renewed our friendship after a hiatus of twenty years
  • They renewed their membership

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: regenerate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: re-create

Narrower terms: replace, refurbish, renovate, freshen up, revamp, retread, remold, remould, restitute, refresh, freshen, revitalize, revitalise, regenerate, restore, rejuvenate, overhaul, modernize, modernise, reconstruct

History

Etymology

From Middle English renewen, an alteration (possibly on analogy with Latin renovāre) of earlier anewen (“to renew”), from Old English nīewian (“to restore; renovate; renew”), equivalent to re- + new. Cognate with Old High German giniuwōn (“to renew”), Middle High German geniuwen (“to renew”), Old Norse nýja (“to renew”).

Across languages

Translations

114 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: جَدَّدَ (jaddada) — to make new again
  • Arabic: جدد (gaddad) — to make new again
  • Belarusian: абнаўля́ць (abnawljácʹ) — to make new again
  • Belarusian: абнаві́ць (abnavícʹ) — to make new again
  • Bulgarian: обновя́вам (obnovjávam) — to make new again
  • Bulgarian: обновя́ (obnovjá) — to make new again
  • Catalan: renovar — to make new again
  • Dutch: hernieuwen — to make new again
  • Dutch: vernieuwen — to make new again
  • Esperanto: renovigi — to make new again
  • Finnish: uudistaa — to make new again
  • French: renouveler — to make new again
  • Galician: anovar — to make new again
  • Georgian: განახლება (ganaxleba) — to make new again
  • Georgian: გაახლება (gaaxleba) — to make new again
  • German: erneuern — to make new again
  • Gothic: 𐌰𐌽𐌰𐌽𐌹𐌿𐌾𐌰𐌽 (ananiujan) — to make new again
  • Greek: ανανεώνω (ananeóno) — to make new again
  • Ancient Greek: ἀνανεόομαι (ananeóomai) — to make new again
  • Ancient Greek: καινόω (kainóō) — to make new again
  • Hungarian: megújít — to make new again
  • Irish: athnuaigh — to make new again
  • Japanese: 再創造する (saisōzō suru) — to make new again
  • Lithuanian: atnaujinti — to make new again
  • Māori: whakahou — to make new again
  • Māori: tāmata — to make new again
  • Māori: whakamohou — to make new again
  • Norwegian: fornye — to make new again
  • Portuguese: renovar — to make new again
  • Romanian: înnoi — to make new again
  • Romanian: reînnoi — to make new again
  • Romanian: renova — to make new again
  • Russian: обновля́ть (obnovljátʹ) — to make new again
  • Russian: обнови́ть (obnovítʹ) — to make new again
  • Spanish: reanudar — to make new again
  • Spanish: renovar — to make new again
  • Swedish: förnya — to make new again
  • Ukrainian: обновля́ти (obnovljáty) — to make new again
  • Ukrainian: обно́влювати (obnóvljuvaty) — to make new again
  • Ukrainian: обнови́ти (obnovýty) — to make new again
  • Ukrainian: оновля́ти (onovljáty) — to make new again
  • Ukrainian: оно́влювати (onóvljuvaty) — to make new again
  • Ukrainian: онови́ти (onovýty) — to make new again
  • Ukrainian: відно́влювати (vidnóvljuvaty) — to make new again
  • Ukrainian: відновля́ти (vidnovljáty) — to make new again
  • Ukrainian: віднови́ти (vidnovýty) — to make new again
  • Bulgarian: подновя́вам (podnovjávam) — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • Bulgarian: подновя́ (podnovjá) — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • Dutch: hernieuwen — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • Dutch: vernieuwen — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • Finnish: uusia — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • Finnish: vaihtaa — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • German: erneuern — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • Hungarian: felújít — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • Hungarian: kicserél — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • Portuguese: renovar — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • Russian: подновля́ть (podnovljátʹ) — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • Russian: поднови́ть (podnovítʹ) — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • Spanish: renovar — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • Spanish: remudar — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • Spanish: reemplazar — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • Spanish: reponer — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • Spanish: substituir — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • Spanish: cambiar — to substitute for a new one of the same nature
  • Bulgarian: възобновя́вам (vǎzobnovjávam) — to begin again; to recommence
  • Bulgarian: възобновя́ (vǎzobnovjá) — to begin again; to recommence
  • Finnish: toistaa — to begin again; to recommence
  • Finnish: uusia — to begin again; to recommence
  • Hungarian: megújít — to begin again; to recommence
  • Hungarian: felújít — to begin again; to recommence
  • Hungarian: újrakezd — to begin again; to recommence
  • Portuguese: reiniciar — to begin again; to recommence
  • Russian: возобновля́ть (vozobnovljátʹ) — to begin again; to recommence
  • Russian: возобнови́ть (vozobnovítʹ) — to begin again; to recommence
  • Spanish: reiniciar — to begin again; to recommence
  • Spanish: recomenzar — to begin again; to recommence
  • Arabic: جَدِد (jadid) — to repeat; to go over again
  • Bulgarian: повта́рям (povtárjam) — to repeat; to go over again
  • Bulgarian: повто́ря (povtórja) — to repeat; to go over again
  • Finnish: toistaa — to repeat; to go over again
  • Hungarian: megismétel — to repeat; to go over again
  • Hungarian: megújít — to repeat; to go over again
  • Russian: повторя́ть (povtorjátʹ) — to repeat; to go over again
  • Russian: повтори́ть (povtorítʹ) — to repeat; to go over again
  • Spanish: renovar — to repeat; to go over again
  • Bulgarian: възстановя́вам (vǎzstanovjávam) — to make new spiritually; to regenerate
  • Bulgarian: възстановя́ (vǎzstanovjá) — to make new spiritually; to regenerate
  • Finnish: uudistaa — to make new spiritually; to regenerate
  • Russian: восстана́вливать (vosstanávlivatʹ) — to make new spiritually; to regenerate
  • Russian: восстанови́ть (vosstanovítʹ) — to make new spiritually; to regenerate
  • Spanish: renovar — to make new spiritually; to regenerate
  • Bulgarian: обновя́вам се (obnovjávam se) — to become new, or as new
  • Bulgarian: обновя́ се (obnovjá se) — to become new, or as new
  • Finnish: uusiutua — to become new, or as new
  • Finnish: uudistua — to become new, or as new
  • Finnish: elpyä — to become new, or as new
  • Hungarian: megújul — to become new, or as new
  • Hungarian: felújul — to become new, or as new
  • Hungarian: felfrissül — to become new, or as new
  • Hungarian: megújhodik — to become new, or as new
  • Māori: whakahou — to become new, or as new
  • Russian: обновля́ться (obnovljátʹsja) — to become new, or as new
  • Russian: обнови́ться (obnovítʹsja) — to become new, or as new
  • Spanish: renovar — to become new, or as new
  • Bulgarian: подновя́вам (podnovjávam) — to extend a period of loan
  • Bulgarian: подновя́ (podnovjá) — to extend a period of loan
  • Chinese Mandarin: 續借 /续借 (xùjiè) — to extend a period of loan
  • Finnish: jatkaa — to extend a period of loan
  • German: verlängern — to extend a period of loan
  • Hungarian: meghosszabbít — to extend a period of loan
  • Hungarian: hosszabbít — to extend a period of loan
  • Russian: продлева́ть (prodlevátʹ) — to extend a period of loan
  • Russian: продли́ть (prodlítʹ) — to extend a period of loan
  • Spanish: renovar — to extend a period of loan
Real reading context

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