guarantee
Americannoun
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guarantees
plural
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a promise or assurance, especially one in writing, that something is of specified quality, content, benefit, etc., or that it will perform satisfactorily for a given length of time.
a money-back guarantee.
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an assurance that another’s obligation will be fulfilled, or something presented as such security; guaranty.
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something that assures a particular outcome or condition.
Wealth is no guarantee of happiness.
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a person who gives a guarantee or guaranty; guarantor.
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a person to whom a guarantee is made.
verb (used with object)
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guarantees,
present (3rd person singular)
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guaranteed,
past participle, past
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guaranteeing
present participle
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to secure, as by giving or taking security.
A credit card guarantees your reservation at the hotel.
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to make oneself answerable for (something) on behalf of someone else who is primarily responsible.
to guarantee the fulfillment of a contract.
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to undertake to ensure for another, as rights or possessions.
The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion.
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to serve as a warrant or guaranty for.
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to undertake to protect or indemnify.
to guarantee a person against loss.
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to undertake (to do something).
I will guarantee to prove every word I stated.
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to promise (usually followed by a clause as object).
I guarantee that I'll be there.
noun
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a formal assurance, esp in writing, that a product, service, etc, will meet certain standards or specifications
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law a promise, esp a collateral agreement, to answer for the debt, default, or miscarriage of another
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a person, company, etc, to whom a guarantee is made
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a person, company, etc, who gives a guarantee
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a person who acts as a guarantor
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something that makes a specified condition or outcome certain
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a variant spelling of guaranty
verb
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(also tr) to take responsibility for (someone else's debts, obligations, etc)
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to serve as a guarantee for
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to secure or furnish security for
a small deposit will guarantee any dress
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to undertake to protect or keep secure, as against injury, loss, etc
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to ensure
good planning will guarantee success
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(may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to promise or make certain
Usage
What does guarantee mean? A guarantee is a promise or assurance, especially one that is written or legally binding, that something is of a stated quality or will perform as stated, such as a guarantee that a car you purchase will operate correctly. A guarantee is also an assurance of a particular outcome or condition, as in Weather predictions are not guarantees. Weather often changes quickly. To guarantee something is to secure something, as a ticket guarantees entry to a movie showing. As well, to guarantee is to promise to do something, usually by signing a legally binding agreement, as in The company guaranteed me a job when I signed the contract. Example: I guarantee you will love your purchase and will give you a full refund if you don’t.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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nonguaranteenoun
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preguaranteenoun
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reguaranteenoun
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superguaranteenoun
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quasi-guaranteedadjective
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unguaranteedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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guaranteesimple
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guaranteessimple
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have guaranteedperfect
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has guaranteedperfect
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am guaranteeingprogressive
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are guaranteeingprogressive
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is guaranteeingprogressive
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have been guaranteeingperfect progressive
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has been guaranteeingperfect progressive
Past
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guaranteedsimple
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had guaranteedperfect
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was guaranteeingprogressive
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were guaranteeingprogressive
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had been guaranteeingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of guarantee
First recorded in 1670–80; alteration of guaranty
Explanation
To guarantee is to promise or to a make binding agreement. If a baseball player guarantees his team will win the World Series, he better not lead the league in strikeouts. Guarantee is a word that is both a noun and a verb: the noun means "a binding agreement" and the verb is the act of making that agreement. This word seems to have come from garante, the Spanish word for "protect" and it's related to the Old French word warrant, which means "to authorize." Today, we often come across guarantee in advertisements, and you might wonder how they might guarantee to make your social life better if your teeth are whiter!
Vocabulary lists containing guarantee
Declaration of the Rights of Woman (1791)
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Frindle
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"The Constitution"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Abdolreza Davari, an analyst who once advised former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said Iran’s effective control of the strait has given it leverage with the U.S. and regional countries that can help guarantee its security.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
The protests have left behind a youth movement with millions of followers online, but that does not guarantee lasting political influence.
From Barron's ● Aug. 8, 2026
“Everything was slower which made how I ate more intentional. If I was going to be spending more time cooking, it was almost a guarantee it was going to be a healthier meal.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026
Indeed, before the World Cup 111 had already declared for him - enough to guarantee re-election.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
This would guarantee sales for the drug companies and motivate them to produce the drugs at cheap prices.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
"The person may be returned all the same, it's just that this procedure requires basic guarantees", said human rights lawyer Laura Maria Medina Ferreras, adding that in her view these must "always" be respected.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
Gulf allies have asked the U.S. in recent weeks for more air-defense interceptors and continued guarantees that the U.S. military will protect them if the tit-for-tat fighting flares back up, officials have said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Like Cole, Segal emphasizes that “rights are not gifts from judges, but guarantees rooted in constitutional democracy and human dignity.”
From Slate ● Aug. 3, 2026
"I don't think one can give any guarantees," Raghu Iyer - chief executive of the Indian Olympic Association - told BBC Sport.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026
Sharing guarantees success because you’re acknowledging the importance of your network.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
Even in concert cancellation situations that seem clear-cut to outsiders, insurance payouts aren’t guaranteed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
It is measured by the gap between what you’ll spend and the income you have that is guaranteed.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
But in Guryong Village, set among mounds of accumulated refuse, access to air conditioning -- or even a reliable supply of electricity -- is far from guaranteed.
From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026
One department where at least one more signing is guaranteed is up front, with PSG'S Bradley Barcola now Liverpool's primary target after they missed out on Yan Diomande.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
Gilbert’s Copernicanism guaranteed a hostile response from orthodox Catholic scholars once Copernicanism had been condemned in 1616.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
The chip designers that stand to sell hardware into these facilities are the same firms guaranteeing the projects that will buy them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
"Realistically this is what we can guarantee - the big difference is we are guaranteeing it for a minimum of three years."
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Micron secured 16 long-term supply deals, guaranteeing approximately $100 billion in revenue and ensuring gross margins well above past peaks.
From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026
But when the Legislature voted last year to extend the state climate program, that provision guaranteeing backup funding wasn’t included.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
Some German military leaders feared that unrestricted submarine warfare would bring the United States into the war, thus guaranteeing Germany’s defeat.
From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman
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.
