pact
Americannoun
-
an agreement, covenant, or compact.
We made a pact not to argue any more.
-
an agreement or treaty between two or more nations.
a pact between Germany and Italy.
noun
Etymology
Origin of pact
1400–50; late Middle English pact(e) < Middle French < Latin pactum, noun use of neuter of past participle of pacīscī to make a bargain, contract
Explanation
A pact is a treaty or other agreement between parties, and it's usually written. Countries can have pacts or you can make a pact with your friends, promising each other that you'll all show up for the spelling bee. A pact is a formal agreement. The 1955 Warsaw Pact, for instance, was Eastern Europe's answer to NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization), with communist countries pledging mutual aid in case of foreign aggression. You may also come across the word compact, which is pretty much the same as a pact. The word pact comes from the Latin pactum, meaning "something agreed upon." In Roman times, one kind of pact was the marriage pact you signed when you got married.
Vocabulary lists containing pact
Inside Out & Back Again
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Prisoner B-3087
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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.
As part of its trade pact with the U.S.,
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
She told ITV she would not make a pact with Burnham to challenge the prime minister.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
Khamenei’s father, Ali Khamenei, publicly approved of talks that led to a 2015 pact with global powers to ease sanctions in exchange for nuclear curbs before nodding to the deal itself.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026
Similar to the pact the Writers Guild reached with the studios last month, SAG-AFTRA’s contract will last four years instead of the usual three.
From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2026
The “Big Three” pact had only been broken twice—once when Zeus sired Thalia, once when Poseidon sired me.
From "The Sea of Monsters" by Rick Riordan
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.
