The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Renewal \Re*new"al\ (-al), n.
   The act of renewing, or the state of being renewed; as, the
   renewal of a treaty.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

renewal
    n 1: the conversion of wasteland into land suitable for use of
         habitation or cultivation [syn: reclamation, renewal,
         rehabilitation]
    2: the act of renewing
    3: filling again by supplying what has been used up [syn:
       refilling, replenishment, replacement, renewal]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

150 Moby Thesaurus words for "renewal":
   about-face, accommodation, adaptation, adjustment, alteration,
   amelioration, amendment, another shot, another try, apostasy,
   atavism, backset, backward deviation, betterment, bracer, bracing,
   break, change, change of allegiance, change of heart,
   change of mind, changeableness, constructive change, continuity,
   conversion, cordial, defection, degeneration, degenerative change,
   deterioration, deviation, difference, discontinuity, divergence,
   diversification, diversion, diversity, doubling, duplication, echo,
   enlivenment, exhilaration, face-lift, falling back, fitting,
   flip-flop, fresh start, furbishment, gradual change, imitation,
   improvement, invigoration, lapse, melioration, mitigation,
   modification, modulation, new beginning, new birth, overthrow,
   palingenesis, palingenesy, pick-me-up, plagiarism, qualification,
   quotation, radical change, re-creation, realignment, reanimation,
   reappearance, rebeginning, rebirth, reclamation, recommencement,
   reconditioning, recreation, recrudescence, recurrence, redemption,
   redesign, redoubling, reduplication, reecho, reentrance, refection,
   reform, reformation, refreshing, refreshment, refurbishment,
   regale, regalement, regeneracy, regenerateness, regeneration,
   regenesis, regression, regurgitation, reincarnation,
   reinvigoration, rejuvenation, rejuvenescence, relapse, remaking,
   renaissance, renascence, renovation, reoccurrence, reopening,
   repetition, reproduction, reshaping, restructuring, resumption,
   resurgence, resurrection, resuscitation, retread, retreading,
   return, reversal, reverse, reversion, revival, revivescence,
   revivescency, revivification, revolution, second wind,
   second youth, setback, shift, slum clearance, stimulation,
   sudden change, switch, throwback, tonic, total change, transition,
   turn, turnabout, upheaval, urban renewal, variation, variety,
   violent change, vivification, worsening



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

RENEWAL. A change of something old for for something new; as, the renewal of
a note; the renewal of a lease. See Novation, and 1 Bouv. Inst. n. 800.