promise

American  

[prom-is] / ˈprɒm ɪs /

noun

• promises
  plural

1. 

   a declaration that something will or will not be done, given, etc., by one.

   unkept political promises.

2. an express assurance on which expectation is to be based.

   promises that an enemy will not win.

   Synonyms:

   pledge, word

3. something that has the effect of an express assurance; indication of what may be expected.

4. indication of future excellence or achievement.

   a writer who shows promise.

5. something that is promised.

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verb (used with object)

• promises,
  present (3rd person singular)
• promised,
  past participle,  past
• promising
  present participle

1. to engage or undertake by promise (usually used with an infinitive or a clause as object).

   She promised to go tomorrow.

   Synonyms:

   agree, covenant, pledge

2. to make a promise of (some specified act, gift, etc.).

   to promise help.

3. to make a promise of something to (a specified person).

   Promise me that you will come.

4. to afford ground for expecting.

   The sky promised a storm.

5. to engage to join in marriage.

6. to assure (used in emphatic declarations).

   I won't go there again, I promise you that!

verb (used without object)

• promises,
  present (3rd person singular)
• promised,
  past participle,  past
• promising
  present participle

1. to afford ground for expectation (often followed by well orfair ).

   His forthcoming novel promises well.

2. to make a promise.

promise British  

/ ˈprɒmɪs /

verb

1. to give an assurance of (something to someone); undertake (to do something) in the future

   I promise that I will come

2. (tr) to undertake to give (something to someone)

   he promised me a car for my birthday

3. (when tr, takes an infinitive) to cause one to expect that in the future one is likely (to be or do something)

   she promises to be a fine soprano

4. (usually passive) to engage to be married; betroth

   I'm promised to Bill

5. (tr) to assure (someone) of the authenticity or inevitability of something (often in the parenthetic phrase I promise you, used to emphasize a statement)

   there'll be trouble, I promise you

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noun

1. an undertaking or assurance given by one person to another agreeing or guaranteeing to do or give something, or not to do or give something, in the future

2. indication of forthcoming excellence or goodness

   a writer showing considerable promise

3. the thing of which an assurance is given

promise Idioms  

1. see lick and a promise.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prepromise
  noun
• promiser
  noun
• repromise
  verb
• outpromise
  verb (used with object)
• overpromise
  verb (used with object)
• promisable
  adjective
• promiseful
  adjective
• quasi-promised
  adjective
• unpromised
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• promises
  plural

Participles

• promising
  present
• promised
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• promise
  simple
• promises
  simple
• have promised
  perfect
• has promised
  perfect
• am promising
  progressive
• are promising
  progressive
• is promising
  progressive
• have been promising
  perfect progressive
• has been promising
  perfect progressive

Past

• promised
  simple
• had promised
  perfect
• was promising
  progressive
• were promising
  progressive
• had been promising
  perfect progressive

Future

• will promise
  simple
• will have promised
  perfect
• will be promising
  progressive
• will have been promising
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of promise

First recorded in 1375–1425; (noun) late Middle English promis(se), from Medieval Latin prōmissa, from Latin prōmissum, noun use of neuter past participle of prōmittere “to promise,” literally, “to send forth,” equivalent to prō- pro- ¹ + mittere “to send”; (verb) late Middle English promisen, derivative of the noun

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Explanation

A promise is an agreement to do or not do something. Also, when you have potential, you show promise. If your parents say you can go for ice cream and then it doesn't happen, you'll probably say, "But you promised!" People promise small things, like to visit someone, and big things, like marriage: “Til death do us part” is a promise many people make on their wedding day. Another meaning is to make a prediction, as in, "You'll regret this, I promise!” Also, if you show promise playing the violin, maybe someday you'll play in an orchestra.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

promise promises promised promising

You’ve earned a break from the news, but I promise we’ll be back in your inbox on Monday with more.

From Slate ● Nov. 6, 2026

Its production chief, Harry Cohn, saw promise in the diminutive man asking for a directing job, and his hunch paid off.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

The executives who will reap the profits of these deals always promise they’ll produce lower prices, greater choice and overall a consumer nirvana, which never seem to materialize.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

"I love Los Angeles. I believe in Los Angeles. And I will continue to ensure the promise of a better life belongs to all of us."

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

And Jonn had taken both her hands in his and said: "I will, Jiller. By my life, I promise I will bring him home to you."

From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda

"Finally," Skepta promises BBC Newsbeat, "some good rap music, some good UK grime sounds."

From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026

The foreign automaker surge promises new choices for American customers and a wave of manufacturing jobs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2026

Those golfers were wary of a proposed model that would have replaced the guaranteed contracts and generous tournament purses provided by PIF with promises of equity in the league and an abbreviated schedule.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

Yet many Americans went to the polls questioning whether those promises had been kept.

From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026

“I know I get carried away. But opening a school is something I’ve wanted to do forever. I can’t wait! Lala, it’s gonna change this town!” he promises.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

Eisenkot, Netanyahu’s challenger, promised to rebuild the relationship, which he said was more than an alliance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

Ministers have also promised school students to reform the unpopular Parcoursup university admissions platform and eventually replace it by 2028.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

She promised to create a 60-day “shot clock” for the approval of new apartment projects that comply with city zoning laws.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

During her campaign, she promised a moratorium until state legislators set new rules about data-center construction.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026

I’d checked my weather app a hundred times—worried we wouldn’t make it to DC tomorrow—but, thankfully, the forecast promised the snow would only last through tonight.

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows

With winning candidates promising moratoriums in key states, data-center builders are weighing their options, from going overseas to building in the desert.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

"It's looking promising, but the only way you can find out is if you listen in," he says.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

A day earlier, a wave of data-center opposition had helped candidates promising to freeze development win statehouses in Texas, Georgia, Ohio and Michigan—all major states for data-center sites.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

The new treatment offers a promising way to rebuild this protective layer, strengthen teeth, and help prevent future decay.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026

And there, at the bottom of the page, I spot a promising building.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

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Related Words

• agreement
• assurance
• commitment
• guarantee
• obligation
• pact
• pledge
• vow
• word

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