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
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
See Examples For:
The pact represents Peacock’s largest wholesale distribution agreement to date, one that will introduce the service into millions of new homes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
Certain energy products and fertilizers will also be exempt, alongside products covered by the US-Mexico-Canada free trade pact, a US official told reporters.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
Wright also said in a statement posted to social media that the US-Saudi pact would "uphold the highest standards of nuclear safety and nonproliferation."
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
The pact could also be a tipping point for British alcohol and spirits companies.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
It was as if we had made a pact to be in the moment, or like being in the moment was the only way to be.
From "We Are Okay" by Nina LaCour
But the EU, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Switzerland received some relief in line with trade pacts they previously reached with the United States.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
Some Trump administration officials and allies said Lutnick has taken a leading role on major trade and investment deals, including pacts with Japan, South Korea and the European Union signed last year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
But these little small pacts start to snowball.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026
The pacts brought in a huge increase in revenue for the league through 2033 and included opt outs after the 2029 season.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
Cleopatra saw for herself the power plays, secret pacts, broken promises, bribes, and betrayals that marked her father’s rule.
From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby
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.
