warranty

American  

[wawr-uhn-tee, wor-, wawr-uhn-tee, wor-] / ˈwɔr ən ti, ˈwɒr-, ˌwɔr ənˈti, ˌwɒr- /

noun

warranties plural

1. an act or an instance of warranting; assurance; authorization; warrant.

2. Law.

   1. a stipulation, explicit or implied, in assurance of some particular in connection with a contract, as of sale.

      an express warranty of the quality of goods.

   2. Also called covenant of warranty.  a covenant in a deed to land by which the party conveying assures the grantee that they will enjoy the premises free from interference by any person claiming under a superior title.

   3. (in the law of insurance) a statement or promise, made by the party insured, and included as an essential part of the contract, falsity or nonfulfillment of which renders the policy void.

   4. a judicial document, as a warrant or writ.

3. a written guarantee given to the purchaser of a new appliance, automobile, or other item by the manufacturer or dealer, usually specifying that the manufacturer will make any repairs or replace defective parts free of charge for a stated period of time.

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verb (used with object)

warrantied, warrantying

1. to provide a manufacturer's or dealer's warranty for.

   The automaker warranties its new cars against exterior rust.

warranty British  

/ ˈwɒrəntɪ /

noun

1. property law a covenant, express or implied, by which the vendor of real property vouches for the security of the title conveyed

2. contract law an express or implied term in a contract, such as an undertaking that goods contracted to be sold shall meet specified requirements as to quality, etc

   an extended warranty

3. insurance law an undertaking by the party insured that the facts given regarding the risk are as stated

4. the act of warranting

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warranty Cultural  

1. A guarantee of the quality of a product or service made by the seller to the buyer.

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Etymology

Origin of warranty

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English waranti(e), warraunte, from Anglo-French, Old French war(r)antie, variant of Old French guarantie ); see warrant, -y ³

Explanation

Most cars and toys come with a warranty, a written guarantee that the product will not fail within a certain amount of time. If it does, the manufacturer will repair or replace it for free. Many people talk about the way appliances break the day after their warranty expires. The word itself is a Middle English variant on the word, guarantee. Both words mean similar things, but warranty is more specific. I can guarantee you that I will pick you up by seven so we can get to the game on time, but I would not issue a warranty about it.

Example Sentences

Illinois landlords also must comply with what is called the warranty of habitability, which means they must maintain a space and make sure it is usable by its tenants.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

Ford shares also dipped 18% in a single day in late July 2024 after the company missed Wall Street’s second-quarter earnings expectations, partly because warranty expenses were up $800 million compared with the first quarter.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

I like the company’s products because they come with a three-year warranty and data rescue services.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 22, 2026

The company has made “significant progress in the areas of the business we can control, lowering material and warranty costs and making real progress on quality,” CEO Jim Farley said in a statement.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 10, 2026

The missing warranty is not that big a problem.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

Related Words

• certificate