Definition of covenantnext
1
as in treaty
a formal agreement between two or more nations or peoples the two countries signed a peace covenant that, it was hoped, would put an end to decades of bitter conflict

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2
3
as in agreement
an arrangement about action to be taken the covenant that existed among neighbors in olden times whereby they would quickly respond to the call to help put out one another's house fires

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1
as in to bargain
to come to an arrangement as to a course of action a traditional rule held that a husband could not enter into a covenant with his wife, because that was the equivalent of covenanting with himself

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2
as in to promise
to make a solemn declaration of intent the home buyers had to covenant that they would restore and keep the house for at least 10 years in exchange for a low mortgage rate

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of covenant
Noun
In 1948, the Supreme Court found such covenants judicially unenforceable, but Specht explains how communities upheld them nonetheless. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026 And pets aren’t the only thing Cedarfield regulates, its covenants also prohibit residents from drying or airing clothing and bedding outdoors except in areas approved by the HOA board. — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026 Printed, copied, and circulated among an extraordinarily literate population, the Constitution executed a covenant and allowed, too, for the exertion of power over vast distances. — Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026 During the last legislative session, Matos succesfully pushed part of his grocery affordability agenda, including a bill to end the practice of restrictive covenants, that stop grocery stores from being able to open. — Wheeler Cowperthwaite, The Providence Journal, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for covenant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for covenant
Noun
  • Nonnuclear European countries will have to agree to finance the development and procurement of new missile systems and possibly airplanes (although not nuclear warheads, which would violate their treaty commitments).
    — Ivo H. Daalder, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
  • China does not have a formal extradition treaty with the United States.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Basis trades are an arbitrage bet in which hedge funds are positioned long in cash Treasurys while shorting their corresponding futures contracts, with the aim of profiting from the price gap.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Again, two-way contracts can be swapped out at any time, with such salaries not counting against the salary cap.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Companies are only allowed to disclose them if the agreements are noncancellable.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Of the 13 most competitive Senate races, seven Republicans have expressed skepticism or outright opposition to the agreement that is unlikely to significantly affect high diesel costs contributing to broader inflation.
    — Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • As those revenues became scarcer in the years after Proposition 13, which capped annual increases, counties tended to bargain more fiercely, and cities tended to get smaller shares, Laurel previously said.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Another bill, the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, would guarantee for the first time that every public-sector worker in the country has the right to bargain collectively.
    — Liz Shuler, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • For a six-month trial, the company promises that participants will not lose pay or jobs because of the trial.
    — Christoph Trattner, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
  • While no service can promise to remove all your data from the internet, a data removal service can monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Creator deals unveiled at the market included Endemol Shine Brasil’s pact with Latino creator house Grupo Podpah.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Peacock earlier this year struck an innovative distribution pact to be bundled as part of a YouTube TV premium tier.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • That figure reflects performance on OpenAI’s test suite, not a guarantee of error-free migrations.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026
  • But, even for them, there are no guarantees their fitness will last a lifetime.
    — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • In the weeks leading up to the election, the president has lent his and his administration’s name power to Paxton’s bid at presidential events and rallies, including the first GOP midterm convention in Dallas.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Oct. 2026
  • In the mid-1990s, Bob Bartel, a Chicago native and sometime private detective and full-time Beatles nut, heard Louise speak at a fan convention about George’s vacation in Benton.
    — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Covenant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/covenant. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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