promising

American  

[prom-uh-sing] / ˈprɒm ə sɪŋ /

adjective

1. giving favorable promise; likely to turn out well.

   a promising young man; a promising situation.

   Synonyms:

   favorable

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promising British  

/ ˈprɒmɪsɪŋ /

adjective

1. showing promise of favourable development or future success

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Other Word Forms

• promisingly adverb
• promisingness noun

Etymology

Origin of promising

First recorded in 1505–15; promise + -ing ²

Example Sentences

This approach is especially promising for uncovering previously unrecognized bacteria and fungi.

From Science Daily

Even so, the findings suggest a promising strategy that takes advantage of vulnerabilities already present in cancer cells.

From Science Daily

No timeline has been announced, but CAQK's small size matters because it is a short peptide that is easier to manufacture and can penetrate tissue well, making it a promising drug candidate.

From Science Daily

Bangladesh's interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, said there was "no place for such violence in the new Bangladesh", promising that no one involved in the killing would be spared.

From BBC

We plodded through the powder, passing deer tracks as we moved, until we reached a small clearing with several promising candidates.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• auspicious
• bright
• encouraging
• gifted
• talented
• up-and-coming