guarantor
Americannoun
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guarantors
plural
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a person, group, system, etc., that guarantees.
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a person who makes or gives a guarantee, guaranty, warrant, etc.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of guarantor
First recorded in 1850–55; guarant(ee) + -or 2
Explanation
A guarantor is a person who helps someone who's borrowing money by promising to pay it back to the lender if the borrower is unable to. Sometimes you also need a guarantor to rent an apartment. If you're young, don't have a regular job, have a bad credit score, or don't have much money in the bank, you may need a guarantor in order to get a loan from a bank. The job of the guarantor is to guarantee that the loan payments will be made — by them, if necessary. You can also use this word for people who make other guarantees: "The health department is a guarantor of food safety in our city's restaurants."
Vocabulary lists containing guarantor
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:
After all, as the world’s dominant superpower and guarantor of security for dozens of countries over the past 80 years, America’s influence on the planet has been overwhelming.
From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2026
He would co-sign their lease - becoming the legal guarantor for their apartment.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
De Becker said he remains a guarantor of the business, meaning he’s on the hook if anything goes wrong.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
UN chief Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday he would convene new talks on ending the half-century-old Cyprus conflict, inviting leaders on the divided island and its three guarantor powers.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
Jack, the household’s protector, its guarantor of tranquillity, was relied on to take the long view.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
We ended up relying on our parents to be guarantors so we could get approved for a Brooklyn apartment.
From MarketWatch ● May 5, 2026
Iran has suggested to mediators that China or Russia could act as guarantors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 8, 2026
Iraq's State Board of Antiquities and Heritage head Ali Obeid Shalgham told AFP Iraqi security forces were the sites' "true guarantors", especially as many are in remote rural areas.
From Barron's ● Mar. 31, 2026
Lucian Cook, head of residential research at estate agency Savills, said more parents were acting as guarantors when tenancies were agreed.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2025
Dr. King was equally clear that future riots are not inevitable: “Social justice and progress are the absolute guarantors of riot prevention.”
From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield
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