promise

American  

[prom-is] / ˈprɒm ɪs /

noun

• promises
  plural

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:

   pledge, word

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.

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verb (used with object)

• promises,
  present (3rd person singular)
• promised,
  past participle,  past
• promising
  present participle

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

   She promised to go tomorrow.

   Synonyms:

   agree, covenant, pledge

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)

• promises,
  present (3rd person singular)
• promised,
  past participle,  past
• promising
  present participle

1. to afford ground for expectation (often followed by well orfair ).

   His forthcoming novel promises well.

2. to make a promise.

promise British  

/ ˈprɒmɪs /

verb

1. 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

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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

promise Idioms  

1. see lick and a promise.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prepromise
  noun
• promiser
  noun
• repromise
  verb
• outpromise
  verb (used with object)
• overpromise
  verb (used with object)
• promisable
  adjective
• promiseful
  adjective
• quasi-promised
  adjective
• unpromised
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• promises
  plural

Participles

• promising
  present
• promised
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• promise
  simple
• promises
  simple
• have promised
  perfect
• has promised
  perfect
• am promising
  progressive
• are promising
  progressive
• is promising
  progressive
• have been promising
  perfect progressive
• has been promising
  perfect progressive

Past

• promised
  simple
• had promised
  perfect
• was promising
  progressive
• were promising
  progressive
• had been promising
  perfect progressive

Future

• will promise
  simple
• will have promised
  perfect
• will be promising
  progressive
• will have been promising
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of promise

First recorded in 1375–1425; (noun) late Middle English promis(se), from Medieval Latin prōmissa, from Latin prōmissum, noun use of neuter past participle of prōmittere “to promise,” literally, “to send forth,” equivalent to prō- pro- ¹ + mittere “to send”; (verb) late Middle English promisen, derivative of the noun

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Explanation

A promise is an agreement to do or not do something. Also, when you have potential, you show promise. If your parents say you can go for ice cream and then it doesn't happen, you'll probably say, "But you promised!" People promise small things, like to visit someone, and big things, like marriage: “Til death do us part” is a promise many people make on their wedding day. Another meaning is to make a prediction, as in, "You'll regret this, I promise!” Also, if you show promise playing the violin, maybe someday you'll play in an orchestra.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

promise promises promised promising

And it has also brought the promise of a "point of difference" in attack as they prepare for a potentially pivotal first match.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell, sitting next to soon-to-be free agent Tarik Skubal at their lockers in the aftermath of their team’s elimination from the National League Championship Series elimination, made a promise:

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

Investors should also resist reading it as a promise of 40% lower costs.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

That point harks back to a similar, unfulfilled promise by his father, who instead oversaw soaring deforestation rates.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

“I know, I promise to engage,” he says slyly.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

The event promises glamour -- replete with champagne-quaffing celebrities -- set against the backdrop of Rwanda's verdant hills and rich wildlife, all broadcast to a global audience.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

The pivot shows why it will be hard for AI companies to make good on promises that the technology will someday help the climate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

One of Musk’s key promises is that the Roadster will be capable of hovering in the air.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026

If Mamdani has so far shown a pragmatic streak in how he governs that can feel at odds with the loftier promises of his campaign, some friction with his most hard-line voters might be inevitable.

From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026

She promises that as long as I use the right products, I’ll have no problem styling the bangs, and I’ll still be able to pull my hair back—I just might need some bobby pins.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

Mr. Musk has promised, perhaps optimistically, that within six to 12 months Neuralink will have a device capable of transmitting visual data into the brains of people born blind.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

They have said the games remain on track to turn a profit, with excess funds promised to youth sports programs in Southern California.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

The successor therefore builds on an operating program, although its promised performance remains ahead.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

The ministry last week promised 3,000 substitute teachers for the country's 114 worst-affected secondary schools, and said on Wednesday it had already dispatched 2,000.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

I’d promised Violet I’d come by and see her Wonder.

From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney

The Seagulls have an impressive record of buying promising talent for low prices before selling them on for significant fees.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

Instead, she's promising to review aspects of it and to set clearer steps for measuring how pupils are progressing.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

One particularly promising possibility involves combining different types of immune receptors within the same crop.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026

Thompson pointed out that some bellwether healthcare names, like Eli Lilly, were trading near their highest levels in a year, a promising sign that healthcare stocks could continue to climb.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026

Later, at Camp Half-Blood, Percy took Nico by the arm, promising to keep his sister Bianca safe.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

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Related Words

• agreement
• assurance
• commitment
• guarantee
• obligation
• pact
• pledge
• vow
• word

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