sworn

[ swawrn, swohrn ]

/ swɔrn, swoʊrn /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR sworn ON THESAURUS.COM

verb

past participle of swear.

adjective

having taken an oath: a duly elected and sworn official.

bound by or as if by an oath or pledge.

avowed; affirmed: He is my sworn enemy.

Nearby words

swordsman, swordstick, swordswoman, swordtail, swore, sworn, swot, swotter, swotty, swound, swounds

Definition for sworn (2 of 2)

swear

[ swair ]

/ swɛər /

verb (used without object), swore or (Archaic) sware; sworn; swear·ing.

to make a solemn declaration or affirmation by some sacred being or object, as a deity or the Bible.

to bind oneself by oath.

to give evidence or make a statement on oath.

to use profane oaths or language: Don't swear in front of the children.

verb (used with object), swore or (Archaic) sware; sworn; swear·ing.

to declare, affirm, attest, etc., by swearing by a deity, some sacred object, etc.

to affirm, assert, or say with solemn earnestness.

to promise or undertake on oath or in a solemn manner; vow.

to testify or state on oath: He swore it on the witness stand.

to take (an oath), as in order to give solemnity or force to a declaration, promise, etc.

to bind by an oath: to swear someone to secrecy.

Verb Phrases

swear by,

to name (a sacred being or thing) as one's witness or guarantee in swearing.
Informal. to have great confidence in; rely on: He swears by his dentist.
to have certain knowledge of: I thought I saw him leaving, but I couldn't swear by it.

swear in, to admit to office or service by administering an oath: A new president will be sworn in today.

swear off, to promise or resolve to give up something, especially intoxicating beverages.

swear out, to secure (a warrant for arrest) by making an accusation under oath.

Origin of swear

before 900; Middle English sweren, Old English swerian; cognate with German schwören, Old Norse sverja; akin to Gothic swaran to swear; see answer

SYNONYMS FOR swear

1 declare, affirm, avow.

3 depose, testify.

4 imprecate.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR swear ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

swear·er, nounswear·ing·ly, adverbre·swear, verb, re·swore, re·sworn, re·swear·ing.un·der·swear·er, noun

Synonym study

4. See curse.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for sworn

But these must be proven under a signed and sworn statement and judged reasonable by the DOH.
No More Paper Prescriptions: Docs Fight Fraud by Going Electronic|Dale Eisinger|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Some secrets, it seems, must be kept even from elected representatives who could still be sworn to secrecy.
After Torture Report, Our Moral Authority As a Nation Is Gone|Nick Gillespie|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her agency had to take her out of the country that very evening after it was made clear that the servant had sworn to kill her.
Afghanistan, We Hardly Knew You|Jonathan Foreman|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The capital of Chechnya, Grozny, was attacked Thursday by insurgents who may have sworn allegiance to ISIS.
Recession? Devaluation? Inflation? Putin Tells Russia Stay the Course.|Anna Nemtsova|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST

But this week, even as a new cabinet was sworn in, the Houthis showed no signs of honoring their commitment to demobilize.
Yemen’s a Model All Right—For Disaster|Michael Shank , Casey Harrity|November 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Mr. Gregory, have you been sworn in connection with these proceedings?
Warren Commission (5 of 26): Hearings Vol. V (of 15)|The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy
I have sworn to myself that one day you should know it—you alone!
Ghosts|Henrik Ibsen
Byron had sworn to love man and nature, and to glorify their works, on the very instant he seeks to degrade and vilify.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Vol. 64 No. 396 October 1848|Various
Mistletoe was the only thing in the world which had not sworn not to harm Baldur.
The Book of Hallowe'en|Ruth Edna Kelley
She had sworn by Claire, as the phrase goes, in earlier days.
An Ambitious Woman|Edgar Fawcett

British Dictionary definitions for sworn (1 of 2)

sworn

/ (swɔːn) /

verb

the past participle of swear

adjective

bound, pledged, or made inveterate, by or as if by an oatha sworn statement; he was sworn to God

British Dictionary definitions for sworn (2 of 2)

swear

/ (swɛə) /

verb swears, swearing, swore or sworn

to declare or affirm (a statement) as true, esp by invoking a deity, etc, as witness

(foll by by)

to invoke (a deity, etc) by name as a witness or guarantee to an oath
to trust implicitly; have complete confidence (in)

(intr often foll by at) to curse, blaspheme, or use swearwords

(when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to promise solemnly on oath; vow

(tr) to assert or affirm with great emphasis or earnestness

(intr) to give evidence or make any statement or solemn declaration on oath

to take an oath in order to add force or solemnity to (a statement or declaration)

swear blind informal to assert emphatically

noun

a period of swearing

Derived Forms

swearer, noun

Word Origin for swear

Old English swerian; related to Old Norse sverja, Gothic swaran, Old Frisian swera, German schwören

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