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View synonyms for

promise

[ prom-is ]

noun

  1. a declaration that something will or will not be done, given, etc., by one:

    unkept political promises.

  2. an express assurance on which expectation is to be based:

    promises that an enemy will not win.

    Synonyms: ,

  3. something that has the effect of an express assurance; indication of what may be expected.
  4. indication of future excellence or achievement:

    a writer who shows promise.

  5. something that is promised.


verb (used with object)

promised, promising.
  1. to engage or undertake by promise (usually used with an infinitive or a clause as object):

    She promised to go tomorrow.

    Synonyms: , ,

  2. to make a promise of (some specified act, gift, etc.):

    to promise help.

  3. to make a promise of something to (a specified person):

    Promise me that you will come.

  4. to afford ground for expecting:

    The sky promised a storm.

  5. to engage to join in marriage.
  6. to assure (used in emphatic declarations):

    I won't go there again, I promise you that!

verb (used without object)

promised, promising.
  1. to afford ground for expectation (often followed by well or fair ):

    His forthcoming novel promises well.

  2. to make a promise.

promise

/ ˈɒɪ /

verb

  1. often foll byto; when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive to give an assurance of (something to someone); undertake (to do something) in the future

    I promise that I will come

  2. tr to undertake to give (something to someone)

    he promised me a car for my birthday

  3. when tr, takes an infinitive to cause one to expect that in the future one is likely (to be or do something)

    she promises to be a fine soprano

  4. usually passive to engage to be married; betroth

    I'm promised to Bill

  5. tr to assure (someone) of the authenticity or inevitability of something (often in the parenthetic phrase I promise you, used to emphasize a statement)

    there'll be trouble, I promise you

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. an undertaking or assurance given by one person to another agreeing or guaranteeing to do or give something, or not to do or give something, in the future
  2. indication of forthcoming excellence or goodness

    a writer showing considerable promise

  3. the thing of which an assurance is given
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈdz, noun
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Other Word Forms

  • dzi·· adjective
  • dzi·ڳܱ adjective
  • dzi· noun
  • dzܳpdzi verb (used with object) outpromised outpromising
  • v·dzi verb (used with object) overpromised overpromising
  • ·dzi noun verb (used with object) prepromised prepromising
  • ܲȴ-dzi adjective
  • ·dzi verb repromised repromising
  • ܲ·dzi adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of promise1

First recorded in 1375–1425; (noun) late Middle English promis(se), from Medieval Latin ō, from Latin ōܳ, noun use of neuter past participle of ōٳٱ “to promise,” literally, “to send forth,” equivalent to ō- pro- 1 + mittere “to send”; (verb) late Middle English promisen, derivative of the noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of promise1

C14: from Latin ōܳ a promise, from ōٳٱ to send forth
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Idioms and Phrases

see lick and a promise .
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk's coalition, which came to power in late 2023, promised to liberalise abortion laws, but internal disagreements have hampered his efforts.

From

Carney has also promised action on a range of domestic issues, including tackling the country's housing crisis and tax cuts for lower- and middle-income Canadians.

From

His technical prowess is unmatched, but Dubois promised "to put him to sleep".

From

On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the government's economic record and promised trade talks with many of America's biggest partners were under way.

From

Preliminary results suggest the UNC, which campaigned on a promise to raise wages and create employment, managed to win a number of parliamentary seats previously held by the PNM.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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promiscuousPromised Land