What does it mean to 'renounce' something?

To 'renounce' something means to publicly give up or set aside a claim, right, or possession. This action often involves a formal declaration in which an individual disavows their association with the item, belief, or responsibility they are relinquishing. When someone renounces a position, belief, or entitlement, they are actively choosing to reject it and distance themselves from it, sometimes for moral, ethical, or personal reasons. This term is typically used in contexts where clarity about one's stance is essential, such as in declarations of faith or allegiance. The other options, while they may relate to varying forms of acknowledgment or rejection, do not capture the act of formally relinquishing or disassociating oneself in the way 'renounce' implies.