renewable

adjective

re·​new·​able ri-ˈnü-ə-bəl How to pronounce renewable (audio)
-ˈnyü-
1
: capable of being renewed
renewable contracts
2
: capable of being replaced by natural ecological cycles or sound management practices
renewable resources
renewability
ri-ˌnü-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce renewable (audio)
-ˌnyü-
noun
renewable noun
renewably
ri-ˈnü-ə-blē How to pronounce renewable (audio)
-ˈnyü-
adverb

Examples of renewable in a Sentence

a renewable life insurance policy Forests are renewable natural resources, but they must be treated with care. Wind and water are renewable fuel sources.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Potential applications could include electricity, process heat, desalination and hybrid systems combining microreactors with renewable generation. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026 In addition to water, many are concerned about consumer protections regarding electricity rate increases, demands on renewable energy and requirements about who gets employed to construct data centers. — Greta Reich, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 Slattery has also conducted research on renewable energy and rhinoceros conservation. — Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2026 Poppe said the company was putting off $2 billion in work — not for wildfire mitigation or safety, but for housing developments, renewable energy projects and other efforts. — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for renewable

Word History

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of renewable was in 1661

Rhymes for renewable

See All Rhymes for renewable

Browse Nearby Words

renew
renewable
renewable fuse
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Renewable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/renewable. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

renewable

adjective
re·​new·​able ri-ˈn(y)ü-ə-bəl How to pronounce renewable (audio)
1
: capable of being renewed
2
: capable of being replaced by natural ecological cycles or sound management procedures
renewable resources like water, wildlife, forests, and grasslands
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gist

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All