- present participle of promise.
promising
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of promising
Explanation
Promising things are encouraging or hopeful — they give you every sign that they'll be successful in the future. A promising early spring hints that the rest of the season will be warm and full of flowers. A promising ballet dancer is young, but off to a very talented start. If you pick up a novel in a bookstore and the first few pages look promising, you'll probably buy it. Promising things are full of promise, "an indication that something will occur." The Latin root is promittere, "put forth," from pro-, "forward," and mittere, "send."
Vocabulary lists containing promising
Shine On, Luz Véliz!
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Are You Ready to Hatch an Unusual Chicken?
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Honestly Elliott
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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.
Despite the late Super Giants wickets, Seifert's knock proved the difference, as Rockets' batters were left to rue plenty of promising starts but none were able to kick on in the same destructive manner.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
Nerve damage necessitated a second surgery several months later and the prospects were not promising.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
He says he wants to "rescue" Brazil, promising to be tough on crime and prioritize fiscal responsibility.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
After SpaceX went public in June, individuals who bought into funds promising shares of the company were eager for their paydays.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
And there, at the bottom of the page, I spot a promising building.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
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.
