repudiation

noun

re·​pu·​di·​a·​tion ri-ˌpyü-dē-ˈā-shən 

: the act of repudiating : the state of being repudiated

especially : the refusal of public authorities to acknowledge or pay a debt

repudiationist

ri-ˌpyü-dē-ˈā-sh(ə-)nist 

noun

Synonyms

• contradiction
• denegation
• denial
• disallowance
• disavowal
• disclaimer
• disconfirmation
• negation
• rejection

Examples of repudiation in a Sentence

voters seemed satisfied by the candidate's public repudiation of the beliefs of an organization to which he had briefly belonged as a youth

New Year's resolutions typically include the repudiation of chocolate and other indulgences and the promise to resume working out at the gym.

Recent Examples on the Web

The concern about the bank’s future is heightened as the second Trump administration doubles down on its repudiation of climate projects and promotes an accelerated expansion of U.S. oil and gas projects. —Max Bearak, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025

America’s repudiation of its traditional foreign policy is being driven by both Trump’s particular obsessions and wider geopolitical changes. —Stephen Collinson, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025

At the Sloans Lake location, CWA Local 777& alleged in a Feb. 3 filing that the company engaged in unlawful repudiation/modification of the contract and refusal to bargain/bad-faith bargaining as the union was engaged in negotiating a first contract with the company. —Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2025

Trump’s latest move reverses one of the Biden administration’s first acts, itself a repudiation of Trump’s 2017 announcement that banned the service of transgender troops. —Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for repudiation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Legal Definition

repudiation

noun

re·​pu·​di·​a·​tion ri-ˌpyü-dē-ˈā-shən 

: the rejection or renunciation of a duty or obligation (as under a contract)

especially : anticipatory repudiation

Note: A party aggrieved by a repudiation may consider a repudiated contract to have been breached and bring an action for relief.