pledge

American  

[plej] / plɛdʒ /

noun

• pledges
  plural

1. a solemn promise or agreement to do or refrain from doing something.

   a pledge of aid;

   a pledge not to wage war.

2. something delivered as security for the payment of a debt or fulfillment of a promise, and subject to forfeiture on failure to pay or fulfill the promise.

   Synonyms:

   guaranty, surety, warranty

3. the state of being given or held as security.

   to put a thing in pledge.

4. Law.

   1. the act of delivering goods, property, etc., to another for security.

   2. the resulting legal relationship.

5. something given or regarded as a security.

6. a person accepted for membership in a club, fraternity, or sorority, but not yet formally approved.

7. an assurance of support or goodwill conveyed by drinking a person's health; a toast.

8. Obsolete.

   1. a hostage.

   2. a person who becomes bail or surety for another.

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verb (used with object)

• pledges,
  present (3rd person singular)
• pledged,
  past participle,  past
• pledging
  present participle

1. to bind by or as if by a pledge.

   to pledge hearers to secrecy.

2. to promise solemnly.

   to pledge one's support.

3. to give or deposit as a pledge; pawn.

4. to stake, as one's honor.

5. to secure by a pledge; give a pledge for.

6. to accept as a pledge for club, fraternity, or sorority membership.

7. to drink a health or toast to.

verb (used without object)

• pledges,
  present (3rd person singular)
• pledged,
  past participle,  past
• pledging
  present participle

1. to make or give a pledge.

   to pledge for someone.

2. to drink a pledge; toast someone's health, success, etc.

idioms

1. take the pledge, to make a solemn, formal vow to abstain from intoxicating drink.

pledge British  

/ plɛdʒ /

noun

1. a formal or solemn promise or agreement, esp to do or refrain from doing something

2. 1. collateral for the payment of a debt or the performance of an obligation

   2. the condition of being collateral (esp in the phrase in pledge )

3. a sign, token, or indication

   the gift is a pledge of their sincerity

4. an assurance of support or goodwill, conveyed by drinking to a person, cause, etc; toast

   we drank a pledge to their success

5. a person who binds himself, as by becoming bail or surety for another

6. to make a vow to abstain from alcoholic drink

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verb

1. to promise formally or solemnly

   he pledged allegiance

2. (tr) to bind or secure by or as if by a pledge

   they were pledged to secrecy

3. to give, deposit, or offer (one's word, freedom, property, etc) as a guarantee, as for the repayment of a loan

4. to drink a toast to (a person, cause, etc)

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• pledger
  noun
• quasi-pledge
  verb
• interpledge
  verb (used with object)
• prepledge
  verb (used with object)
• repledge
  verb (used with object)
• pledgable
  adjective
• pledgeable
  adjective
• pledgeless
  adjective
• unpledged
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• pledges
  plural

Participles

• pledging
  present
• pledged
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• pledge
  simple
• pledges
  simple
• have pledged
  perfect
• has pledged
  perfect
• am pledging
  progressive
• are pledging
  progressive
• is pledging
  progressive
• have been pledging
  perfect progressive
• has been pledging
  perfect progressive

Past

• pledged
  simple
• had pledged
  perfect
• was pledging
  progressive
• were pledging
  progressive
• had been pledging
  perfect progressive

Future

• will pledge
  simple
• will have pledged
  perfect
• will be pledging
  progressive
• will have been pledging
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of pledge

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English plege, from Anglo-French, from early Medieval Latin plebium, plevium, noun derivative of plebīre “to pledge,” from Germanic; compare Old English plēon “to risk,” German pflegen “to look after”; cf. plight ²

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Explanation

A pledge is basically very serious formal promise. You can pledge allegiance to your country, you can pledge to keep a secret, and you can pledge a sum of money to a cause. Pledge can be used as both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it can be a solemn promise you've made. Or even the person who makes that promise, like the freshman pledges who take an oath to join a fraternity in college. As a verb, it describes the act of promising. “I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a new deal for the American people,” vowed Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pledge pledges pledged pledging

On his pledge of his allegiance to the U.S.,

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

Robinson said he believes "there is a role for this government to come forward with a sanctions regime that will punish those who break the pledge of office".

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

The UN biodiversity summit enters a final day Friday with nations still far from reaching a deal to revive a faltering pledge to stop destroying nature.

From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026

Abdullah cited GSK’s decision to move some drug candidates straight from early-stage to late-stage studies, and to run several pivotal trials for the same medicine simultaneously as practical applications of that pledge.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026

She tells them she has never had a serious illness since she made her pledge in church that day.

From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario

Vantara collects genetic data to help prevent inbreeding among Asiatic lions, is building a university, and pledges to fund overseas conservation projects.

From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026

In which case, they are not pledges, they are mere statements of intent.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026

The co-founders have each pledged to give 80 percent of their shares to charity, though the filing notes these pledges are not legally binding.

From Barron's ● Oct. 26, 2026

Plus: Persian Gulf oil exports exceed prewar levels, and Trump pledges an $8 billion bailout for farmers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

“She is determined to make it a peaceful march. She has ordered all who follow her to bring no weapons and even asked them to sign pledges against violence.”

From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat

He pledged to row down the River Mersey if Norway beat Brazil, and when they did, he confirmed on air he would adapt the challenge to do it in the United States.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

While Roku provides Fox with an opportunity to be more aggressive in marketing its channels, Fox has pledged that the platform will remain open to distributing content from competitors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

The state and federal governments have pledged to pay for about one-third of the construction costs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

That deal, which runs through 2028, pledged $3.3 billion each year in U.S. military aid, known as Foreign Military Financing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

Mother Ermentrude is no queen whom I have pledged to serve.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

He also secured backing from the powerful California Teachers Assn. after pledging to pause new charter schools and strengthen oversight.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

Newsom made housing a centerpiece of his 2018 gubernatorial campaign, initially pledging to build 3.5 million homes by 2025.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026

South Korea will double spending on AI and semiconductors in 2027 to a record high, the president said Monday, pledging to use the technology to turn the military into a "smart, elite force".

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

Panicked, one scammer drafted a formal letter, denying any knowledge of illegal activity and pledging to help the investigator any way he could.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026

I am supposed to commit to recovery like a nun pledging body and soul in a convent.

From "Wintergirls" by Laurie Halse Anderson

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Related Words

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