promising

[prom-uh-sing]

See more synonyms for promising on Thesaurus.com

adjective

giving favorable promise; likely to turn out well: a promising young man; a promising situation.

Origin of promising

First recorded in 1505–15; promise + -ing²

Related formsprom·is·ing·ly, adverbprom·is·ing·ness, noun

Synonyms

See more synonyms for promising on Thesaurus.com

favorable, reassuring, encouraging.

promise

[prom-is]

noun

a declaration that something will or will not be done, given, etc., by one: unkept political promises.
an express assurance on which expectation is to be based: promises that an enemy will not win.
something that has the effect of an express assurance; indication of what may be expected.
indication of future excellence or achievement: a writer who shows promise.
something that is promised.

verb (used with object), prom·ised, prom·is·ing.

to engage or undertake by promise (usually used with an infinitive or a clause as object): She promised to go tomorrow.
to make a promise of (some specified act, gift, etc.): to promise help.
to make a promise of something to (a specified person): Promise me that you will come.
to afford ground for expecting: The sky promised a storm.
to engage to join in marriage.
to assure (used in emphatic declarations): I won't go there again, I promise you that!

verb (used without object), prom·ised, prom·is·ing.

to afford ground for expectation (often followed by well or fair): His forthcoming novel promises well.
to make a promise.

Origin of promise

1375–1425; (noun) late Middle English promis(se) < Medieval Latin prōmissa, for Latin prōmissum, noun use of neuter past participle of prōmittere to promise, literally, to send forth, equivalent to prō- pro-¹ + mittere to send; (v.) late Middle English promisen, derivative of the noun

Related formsprom·is·a·ble, adjectiveprom·ise·ful, adjectiveprom·is·er, nounout·prom·ise, verb (used with object), out·prom·ised, out·prom·is·ing.o·ver·prom·ise, verb (used with object), o·ver·prom·ised, o·ver·prom·is·ing.pre·prom·ise, noun, verb (used with object), pre·prom·ised, pre·prom·is·ing.qua·si-prom·ised, adjectivere·prom·ise, verb, re·prom·ised, re·prom·is·ing.un·prom·ised, adjective

Synonyms

See more synonyms for promise on Thesaurus.com

2. word, pledge. 6. pledge, covenant, agree.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for promising

Contemporary Examples

He has struck a promising tone these last few days with his rhetoric about trying to “see each other.”
Memo to Cops: Criticisms Aren’t Attacks
Michael Tomasky
December 28, 2014
I made the mistake of promising one group of guys they could ask me anything if they answered my questions.
The Craziest Date Night for Single Jews, Where Mistletoe Is Ditched for Shots
Emily Shire
December 26, 2014
Atlanta, Georgia, USA Atlanta is quickly becoming one of the most promising LGBT HQs on the globe.
The Ultimate LGBT Travel Bucket List
December 12, 2014
Others are here to invest in artists with promising reputations, and thus the possibility of future ROI.
Sneer and Clothing in Miami: Inside The $3 Billion Woodstock of Contemporary Art
Jay Michaelson
December 6, 2014
What does that promising growth mean for the renegade brewers at Casa Bruja?
House of the Witch: The Renegade Craft Brewers of Panama
Jeff Campagna
November 30, 2014

Historical Examples

The view was very extensive but not promising--spinifex being in every direction.
Explorations in Australia
John Forrest
But this man was promising me more than she had done, and his every word was measured.
The Bacillus of Beauty
Harriet Stark
He begged and implored that his life might be spared, promising to tell all that might be asked of him.
Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates
Howard Pyle
There goes one of the finest and most promising young men in this town.
Tip Lewis and His Lamp
Pansy
She left her, therefore, taking the other Sister with her, and promising to see to everything.
The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete
Emile Zola

British Dictionary definitions for promising

promising

adjective

showing promise of favourable development or future success

Derived Formspromisingly, adverb

promise

verb

(often foll by to; when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to give an assurance of (something to someone); undertake (to do something) in the futureI promise that I will come
(tr) to undertake to give (something to someone)he promised me a car for my birthday
(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
(usually passive) to engage to be married; betrothI'm promised to Bill
(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

noun

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
indication of forthcoming excellence or goodnessa writer showing considerable promise
the thing of which an assurance is given

Derived Formspromiser, noun

Word Origin

C14: from Latin prōmissum a promise, from prōmittere to send forth

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for promising

adj.

"showing signs of future excellence," c.1600, present participle adjective from promise (v.). Related: Promisingly.

promise

n.

c.1400, "a pledge, vow," from Old French promesse "promise, guarantee, assurance" (13c.) and directly from Latin promissum "a promise," noun use of neuter past participle of promittere "send forth; let go; foretell; assure beforehand, promise," from pro- "before" (see pro-) + mittere "to put, send" (see mission). The ground sense is "declaration made about the future, about some act to be done or not done."

promise

v.

c.1400, from promise (n.). Related: Promised; promising. Promised land (1530s) is a reference to the land of Canaan promised to Abraham and his progeny (Hebrew xi:9, etc.; Greek ten ges tes epangelias).

Idioms and Phrases with promising

promise

see lick and a promise.

promising

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Synonyms

promise

Origin of promise

Synonyms

Examples from the Web for promising

Contemporary Examples

He has struck a promising tone these last few days with his rhetoric about trying to “see each other.”

I made the mistake of promising one group of guys they could ask me anything if they answered my questions.

Atlanta, Georgia, USA Atlanta is quickly becoming one of the most promising LGBT HQs on the globe.

Others are here to invest in artists with promising reputations, and thus the possibility of future ROI.

What does that promising growth mean for the renegade brewers at Casa Bruja?

Historical Examples

The view was very extensive but not promising--spinifex being in every direction.

But this man was promising me more than she had done, and his every word was measured.

He begged and implored that his life might be spared, promising to tell all that might be asked of him.

There goes one of the finest and most promising young men in this town.

She left her, therefore, taking the other Sister with her, and promising to see to everything.

promising

promise

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for promising

adj.

promise

n.

promise

v.

Idioms and Phrases with promising

promise

Origin of promising