promise
noun
a declaration that something will or will not be done, given, etc., by one.
were promising
-
past progressiveof promise.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Dr Marie Spreckley, an expert from Cambridge University who was not involved in the research, said the findings were promising but should be viewed as "encouraging early evidence" rather than definitive proof of clinical benefit.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
Evercore ISI analyst Sean McCutcheon concluded that early data for Erasca’s treatment were promising, though the results failed to prove that ERAS-0015 was “clearly differentiated from daraxonrasib.”
From Barron's ● Apr. 28, 2026
There were promising signs: A fifth of customers came back after 30 days and shopped again, a healthy rate of repeat business by industry standards.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 16, 2026
Recent evidence points to building slack in the economy, and the latest CPI data were promising.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2025
The packers were promising security guards for protection on public transportation.
From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield
