pact

noun

ˈpakt 

: compact entry 4

especially : an international treaty

Did you know?

Pact has "peace" at its root because a pact often ends a period of unfriendly relations. The word is generally used in the field of international relations, where diplomats may speak of an "arms pact", a "trade pact", or a "fishing-rights pact". But it may also be used for any solemn agreement or promise between two people; after all, whenever two parties shake hands on a deal, they're not about to go to war with each other.

Synonyms of pact

• treaty

Examples of pact in a Sentence

We supported a peace pact between the two countries.

They made a pact to go to the gym together three times a week.

Recent Examples on the Web

Jackson is entering the final year of his two-year pact — signed in 2025 — and Young had his fifth-year option picked up in April. —Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 12 June 2026

The pact gives Kinepolis 164 screens to add to its portfolio that includes 122 cinemas worldwide, for a total of 1,314 screens. —Pat Saperstein, Variety, 11 June 2026

The new pact, then, runs through 2030 and would take the veteran head coach through his 67th birthday. —Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 11 June 2026

The trickiness around how to regulate cross-border data flows was one hurdle to the signing of ASEAN’s Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), potentially the world’s first regional comprehensive digital trade pact. —Leonard Lim, Fortune, 10 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin pactum, from neuter of pactus, past participle of pacisci to agree, contract; akin to Old English fōn to seize, Latin pax peace, pangere to fix, fasten, Greek pēgnynai

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pact

• nonaggression pact/treaty
• nonaggression treaty/pact
• suicide pact

Rhymes for pact

• act
• backed
• blacked
• bract
• cracked
• fact
• hacked
• jacked
• lacked
• packed
• racked
• sacked

Kids Definition

pact

noun

ˈpakt 

: agreement sense 2

especially : a treaty between countries

Etymology

Middle English pact "agreement," from early French pact (same meaning), from Latin pactum (same meaning), derived from pacisci "to agree, contract"