abjure
to renounce formally
Roots
Other words with the jur / jus root
- adjure: to urge solemnly or command under oath
- conjure: to summon, call up, or bring to mind
- judge: to decide after considering evidence
- judicious: showing sound judgment, wisdom, or good sense
- juridical: relating to law or legal proceedings
- jurisdiction: official legal authority over an area or case
- jurisprudence: the theory or philosophy of law
Abjure is a formal swear-off: you put an oath between yourself and the thing you are leaving.
The reformer abjured the corrupt habits that had once made him powerful.
Jure carries oath or law. Abjure is not a casual “I quit.” It sounds public and serious: a person renounces a belief, habit, claim, or allegiance as if speaking under oath.