guarantee

American  

[gar-uhn-tee] / ˌgær ənˈti /

noun

guarantees plural

1. 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.

2. an assurance that another’s obligation will be fulfilled, or something presented as such security; guaranty.

3. something that assures a particular outcome or condition.

   Wealth is no guarantee of happiness.

4. a person who gives a guarantee or guaranty; guarantor.

5. a person to whom a guarantee is made.

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verb (used with object)

guarantees, present (3rd person singular) guaranteed, past participle, past guaranteeing present participle

1. to secure, as by giving or taking security.

   A credit card guarantees your reservation at the hotel.

2. to make oneself answerable for (something) on behalf of someone else who is primarily responsible.

   to guarantee the fulfillment of a contract.

3. to undertake to ensure for another, as rights or possessions.

   The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion.

4. to serve as a warrant or guaranty for.

5. to undertake to protect or indemnify.

   to guarantee a person against loss.

6. to undertake (to do something).

   I will guarantee to prove every word I stated.

7. to promise (usually followed by a clause as object).

   I guarantee that I'll be there.

guarantee British  

/ ˌɡærənˈtiː /

noun

1. a formal assurance, esp in writing, that a product, service, etc, will meet certain standards or specifications

2. law a promise, esp a collateral agreement, to answer for the debt, default, or miscarriage of another

3. 1. a person, company, etc, to whom a guarantee is made

   2. a person, company, etc, who gives a guarantee

4. a person who acts as a guarantor

5. something that makes a specified condition or outcome certain

6. a variant spelling of guaranty

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verb

1. (also tr) to take responsibility for (someone else's debts, obligations, etc)

2. to serve as a guarantee for

3. to secure or furnish security for

   a small deposit will guarantee any dress

4. to undertake to protect or keep secure, as against injury, loss, etc

5. to ensure

   good planning will guarantee success

6. (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

• nonguarantee
  noun
• preguarantee
  noun
• reguarantee
  noun
• superguarantee
  noun
• quasi-guaranteed
  adjective
• unguaranteed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• guarantees
  plural

Participles

• guaranteeing
  present
• guaranteed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• guarantee
  simple
• guarantees
  simple
• have guaranteed
  perfect
• has guaranteed
  perfect
• am guaranteeing
  progressive
• are guaranteeing
  progressive
• is guaranteeing
  progressive
• have been guaranteeing
  perfect progressive
• has been guaranteeing
  perfect progressive

Past

• guaranteed
  simple
• had guaranteed
  perfect
• was guaranteeing
  progressive
• were guaranteeing
  progressive
• had been guaranteeing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will guarantee
  simple
• will have guaranteed
  perfect
• will be guaranteeing
  progressive
• will have been guaranteeing
  perfect progressive

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!

Example Sentences

“We aren’t talking about things that are privileges, we are talking about constitutionally guarantied freedoms,” said Rhodes.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 29, 2023

Before them for debate that day was proposed constitutional language: "That a republican constitution and its existing laws ought to be guarantied to each state by the United States."

From Salon • Dec. 27, 2021

"He should be very unwilling that such laws as exist in Rhode Island should be guarantied."

From Salon • Dec. 27, 2021

The nation at large have still another interest in the republicanism of each of the states; an interest, too, that is indicated in the same section in which this republicanism is guarantied.

From The Unconstitutionality of Slavery by Spooner, Lysander

I urged upon him to release the poor women whom he had kept confined for nearly five months; and I guarantied the peaceful disposition of the people if it were done.

From The Expedition to Borneo of H.M.S. Dido For the Suppression of Piracy by Keppel, Henry

Related Words

• agreement
• assurance
• certificate
• collateral
• contract
• deposit
• insurance
• security
• warranty