renewable

renewable — adjective

1. describes sources of energy such as sunlight or wind that nature replaces at the

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes sources of energy such as sunlight or wind that nature replaces at the same speed people use them, so they never run out.

Example

The island now gets most of its electricity from renewable sources like wind and solar.

collocation: renewable sources

Tanvi's company invested in renewable energy to shrink its carbon footprint.

collocation: renewable energy

Common collocations
  • renewable energy
  • renewable resources
  • renewable sources
  • renewable power
  • renewable heat
Synonyms
  • sustainable

    broader — includes social and economic longevity, not only natural replenishment

  • clean

    focuses on low pollution rather than replenishment; not all clean energy is renewable

  • green

    informal and broader — describes any environmentally friendly practice

  • inexhaustible

    stronger — suggests supply cannot be used up; used only for truly limitless sources like sunlight

Antonyms
  • non-renewable

    direct opposite — sources that exist in fixed amounts and will eventually run out

  • finite

    emphasises limited quantity rather than the inability to replenish

  • fossil-fuel-based

    specific to energy context — describes coal, oil, and natural gas

Usage Note

Subject is almost always energy, power, resources, or sources of energy. Do not use this sense for objects that can be renewed by human effort (e.g., a library book or a passport) — that belongs to sense 2.

Common Mistakes

Nuclear energy is a renewable source because it can be produced in reactors.
Nuclear energy is not a renewable source
it depends on finite uranium that cannot be replaced by nature.' — Renewable means naturally replenished (sun, wind, water); nuclear fuel is mined and finite.

2. describes an official document or agreement that can be extended to stay valid f

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes an official document or agreement that can be extended to stay valid for another period after it expires.

Example

Jude applied for a renewable work visa that lasts two years.

collocation: renewable visa

The rental contract is renewable every twelve months if both parties agree.

collocation: renewable contract / lease

Common collocations
  • renewable visa
  • renewable contract
  • renewable lease
  • renewable licence
  • renewable permit
  • renewable subscription
Synonyms
  • extendable

    more common in everyday usage; often interchangeable with renewable for documents

  • prolongable

    very formal; emphasises making something last longer in time

  • continuable

    rare; focuses on the ability to continue without interruption

Antonyms
  • non-renewable

    also used for documents — means the document expires permanently and cannot be extended

  • fixed-term

    describes an agreement that ends on a set date with no extension option

  • non-extendable

    explicitly states that no extension is allowed

Usage Note

Subject is always an official or legal document (visa, licence, permit, contract, lease, subscription). Frequently used in passive constructions: 'this visa is renewable for up to five years.' Not used for energy or natural resources.

Common Mistakes

I need to renewable my passport before the trip.
I need to renew my passport before the trip.
Renewable is an adjective; the verb form is 'renew'.

Word family

  • renew
    verbB1
  • renewal
    nounB1
  • renewably
    adverbC1
  • renewability
    nounC1
  • non-renewable
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe environmentally desirable energy, but they emphasise different aspects. Renewable (B1) is the most precise term: it means a source is naturally replenished — sunlight keeps shining, wind keeps blowing. Sustainable (B1–B2) goes beyond energy to include whether a practice can continue long-term without depleting resources or harming the environment; a forestry policy can be sustainable without every tree being a 'renewable resource' in the engineering sense. Clean (A2–B1) focuses on low or zero emissions during use — nuclear power is clean but not renewable. Green (A2) is the informal, broadest term; it covers anything marketed as eco-friendly, from energy tariffs to household products, and carries a positive connotation that may lack precision. Inexhaustible (C1) is the most absolute — it describes a supply that cannot possibly run out (e.g., solar radiation), whereas 'renewable' accepts the theoretical possibility of overuse. Example: 'Wind power is renewable and clean, but a truly sustainable energy plan must also consider land use and manufacturing emissions.'

sustainable ↗clean ↗green ↗inexhaustible

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • renewable energy sources
  • renewable resource management
  • renewable contract terms

Prepositions

  • renewable for [period]
  • renewable by [authority]

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed in English from the verb 'renew' (meaning 'to make new again') plus the suffix '-able' (meaning 'capable of being'). 'Renew' itself comes from the prefix 're-' ('again') attached to 'new' (from Old English 'nīwe'). The word originally described documents and agreements that could be extended — a meaning that dates back to the 1600s. The modern ecological sense, referring to energy sources that nature replenishes, emerged in the 1970s alongside the environmental movement.