vow

American  

[vou] / vaʊ /

noun

1. a solemn promise, pledge, or personal commitment.

   marriage vows; a vow of secrecy.

2. a solemn promise made to a deity or saint committing oneself to an act, service, or condition.

3. a solemn or earnest declaration.

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verb (used with object)

1. to make a vow of; promise by a vow, as to God or a saint.

   to vow a crusade or a pilgrimage.

2. to pledge or resolve solemnly to do, make, give, observe, etc..

   They vowed revenge.

3. to declare solemnly or earnestly; assert emphatically (often followed by a clause as object).

   She vowed that she would take the matter to court.

4. to dedicate or devote by a vow.

   to vow oneself to the service of God.

verb (used without object)

1. to make a vow.

2. to make a solemn or earnest declaration.

idioms

1. take vows, to enter a religious order or house.

vow British  

/ vaʊ /

noun

1. a solemn or earnest pledge or promise binding the person making it to perform a specified act or behave in a certain way

2. a solemn promise made to a deity or saint, by which the promiser pledges himself to some future act, course of action, or way of life

3. to enter a religious order and commit oneself to its rule of life by the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, which may be taken for a limited period as simple vows or as a perpetual and still more solemn commitment as solemn vows

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verb

1. (tr; may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to pledge, promise, or undertake solemnly

   he vowed that he would continue

   he vowed to return

2. (tr) to dedicate or consecrate to God, a deity, or a saint

3. (tr; usually takes a clause as object) to assert or swear emphatically

4. archaic (intr) to declare solemnly

Other Word Forms

• unvowed adjective
• vower noun
• vowless adjective

Etymology

Origin of vow

1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French vo ( u ) < Latin vōtum, neuter of vōtus, past participle of vovēre to vow

Example Sentences

Since making the vow he hasn't been back to Old Trafford and barely keeps up with news of the club.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

Such messaging led to a spat with Musk last month, after the world’s richest man balked at Spain’s vow to ban children under 16 from social-media sites such as X.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

The girl’s name comes from carpe diem, as in Kenna’s vow to seize the child she never got to hold, but the script has the restraint not to make a big standing-on-a-desk speech about that.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

Fox opened an investigation and concluded that Martin had run afoul of a rule of professional conduct that forbids attorneys from violating their oath of office, which includes a vow to support the U.S.

From Slate • Mar. 11, 2026

It was the vow of the drüskelle to Fjerda.

From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo

Related Words

• affirm
• assure
• declare
• promise
• swear