What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
disown
Example
He decided to disown his son after he was convicted of a crime. [disown: verb]
Example
The company quickly disowned the controversial statement made by their CEO. [disowned: past participle]
renounce
Example
The prince renounced his claim to the throne in order to marry a commoner. [renounce: verb]
Example
She decided to renounce her membership in the political party due to ideological differences. [renouncing: gerund or present participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Disown and renounce are both less commonly used words in everyday language, but disown is more commonly used than renounce.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between disown and renounce?
Renounce is generally considered more formal than disown, and is often used in legal or official contexts, while disown is more commonly used in informal or personal contexts.
