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

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

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

She said there would be a "promise to seek justice" for him.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

And, whatever happens during Grande's upcoming hiatus, you have to hope it's a promise that holds.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

"Diet holds great promise for controlling the microbiome and its outputs. But to devise effective therapeutic interventions, we need to understand what aspects of the diet control which microbial outputs."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 15, 2026

Graham knew that saying forever didn’t necessarily mean forever, and that the result of that promise snapping could break a family irreparably.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

I’m pretty certain I didn’t make any such promise.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

In the future, it promises to change business for everything from financial trading to shipping logistics, pharmaceuticals, scientific discovery, data encryption, insurance, internet delivery and more.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Silicon Valley enriched itself with promises that the cyber revolution would mean more freedom and democracy by enabling the flow of information and communication.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

Shareholders are claiming the pop star failed to fulfil promises that she would be "actively building" the brand, saying her "abject dereliction of her duties" has left the company in a "state of financial calamity".

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

The surveillance tech company promises safety and the return of missing loved ones.

From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026

“And don’t burn the nest...Promise me,” Axel adds, because now is the time to make promises.

From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers

One man told the BBC he had met Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Friday when he visited the region, saying Burnham had promised to personally intervene to help his family get their passports.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

Many parking spots have already been restored, and Smiley said that Bass promised parking enforcement would be suspended during the cleanup process to give residents more flexibility.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

The decision is a victory for Macron, who promised the law after his re-election in 2022, marking one of France's biggest social reforms since same-sex marriage was legalised in 2012.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

Back in the produce aisle, the app has done exactly what it promised.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

“Because I promised I wouldn’t quit until we had two Wonders,” he said.

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

Korean face masks and serums promising glass skin have made “K-Beauty” a multibillion-dollar industry.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

Despite the late Super Giants wickets, Seifert's knock proved the difference, as Rockets' batters were left to rue plenty of promising starts but none were able to kick on in the same destructive manner.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

Nerve damage necessitated a second surgery several months later and the prospects were not promising.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

The newly appointed president has declared an "economic emergency" and spent the week visiting quake-hit cities, promising rent subsidies to those who lost their homes.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

Still, the day was off to a promising start.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

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