covenants 1 of 2

plural of covenant
1
as in treaties
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

covenants

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of covenant
1
as in bargains
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 promises
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 covenants
Noun
The school also reclassified some restricted funds to satisfy bond covenants. Bloomberg, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 Interim operating covenants laid out in the merger agreement allow for WBD to run itself as an independent entity while the deal moves toward closing. Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026 This structure lets legal, financial and commercial advisors concentrate effort on issues that influence transaction architecture, particularly those requiring adjustments to representations, covenants or indemnification constructs. Keegan Caldwell, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Each temple is considered a house of the Lord, where the teachings of Jesus Christ are reaffirmed through sacred ordinances, learning about life’s purpose and making covenants to follow Jesus Christ and serve others. Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Aug. 2026 As restrictive racial covenants to limit who could own property spread over the East Bay, more than 1,400 Black and Latino residents found a haven on the other side of the Union Pacific railroad tracks west of downtown Hayward. Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026 Bailey’s order also placed an injunction prohibiting Attard from leasing the house and, because affordability covenants eventually expire, the judge demanded the clock reset to account for the three years Welcome to Realty had owned the house. Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 5 Aug. 2026 Those rules – codes, covenants and restrictions, known collectively as CCRs – are often created by developers, who initially control the HOA. Daniel Kramer, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026 His resulting exploration tracks the ways in which Black residents were effectively segregated, through racial covenants and redlining, and overpoliced. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for covenants
Noun
  • King managed to take the suffocating history of the Indian — the treaties, the massacres, the Hollywood caricatures — and turn it into something conversational, even funny.
    Tommy Orange, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Other presidential powers include the negotiation of treaties and the granting of pardons.
    Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Both Brown and Espada entered this season in the final year of their contracts.
    Chandler Rome, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Those contracts included clauses calling for international arbitration, which seemed to reduce or remove the risk of unilateral government action.
    Michael Lynch, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Such agreements are typically reached after psychologists conclude that severe mental disease or defect caused a defendant not to comprehend that his or her conduct was wrong.
    Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The healthcare industry’s voluntary agreements appeal to voters who feel government regulation drives up costs and places unnecessary burdens on businesses, some supporters say.
    Stephanie Armour, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The union usually bargains in the same year as performers’ union SAG-AFTRA and directors’ union the Directors Guild of America.
    Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 6 Apr. 2026
  • One potential—though untested—workaround would be for conferences, which are private entities, to serve as a joint employer that bargains with a players’ union.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Bonnell claims more than 80 mph at the top end, while the enormous rear-wheel torque figure promises the sort of low-speed shove that makes technical riding interesting.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The Netflix series promises to adapt the entire novel in a more complete form.
    Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • NBCUniversal‘s Peacock launched a limited new membership program in a beta test with a variety of perks — aimed at keeping them from flying the coop as streaming subscribers, as well as driving incremental revenue from marketing pacts.
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
  • On climate, liberals would offer tax rewards for green energy, support joining climate pacts, and phasing out fossil fuels gradually over decades.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The minor-league system offers hope, but as always, no guarantees.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
  • When comparing offers, look at the interest rate, repayment term, payment frequency, fees, collateral requirements, personal guarantees and prepayment terms.
    Joseph Lustberg, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Usually that’s taken care of by airing both party conventions — but Democrats aren’t holding any such midterm equivalent.
    Daniel Strauss, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Learn all about some of the most prominent unwritten rules and conventions of America’s national pastime.
    Tushaar Kuthiala, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Covenants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/covenants. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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