oath

noun

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\ ˈōth

plural oaths\ ˈōt͟hz

, ˈōths \

Definition of oath

1a(1) : a solemn usually formal calling upon God or a god to witness to the truth of what one says or to witness that one sincerely intends to do what one says

(2) : a solemn attestation of the truth or inviolability of one's words The witness took an oath to tell the truth in court.

b : something (such as a promise) corroborated by an oath They were required to swear an oath of loyalty. took the oath of office

2 : an irreverent or careless use of a sacred name broadly : swear word He uttered an oath and stormed away.

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Examples of oath in a Sentence

an oath to defend the nation He uttered an oath and walked away.

Recent Examples on the Web Haller, 30, who took notes of the encounter and later testified about it under oath, said Detective Michael Hess arrived already convinced that Overton had poisoned her foster son Andrew Burd with salt. — John Maccormack, ExpressNews.com, "Murder by omission or conviction by design?," 9 Dec. 2020 What does a whistleblower who handled insurance claims for USAA admit under oath? — Dave Lieber, Dallas News, "From a near riot to the biggest hack of Texans’ information, 2020 was filled with wins and losses," 24 Dec. 2020 A day after a judge allowed the release of the report, John Poulos, the CEO of Dominion, voluntarily testified under oath before the Michigan Senate’s Oversight Committee in response to allegations of election fraud. — Daniel Chaitin, Washington Examiner, "Cybersecurity analyst behind Antrim County audit expects disclosure that will 'drastically change the playing field'," 18 Dec. 2020 On Tuesday, Dominion CEO John Poulos testified under oath at a Michigan legislative hearing. — Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, "New Supreme Court filing includes blatantly wrong information about Michigan," 16 Dec. 2020 Trump and some of his allies made clear Monday that their attack on the election will continue — perhaps up until Biden takes the oath of office on Jan. 20. — Shane Goldmacher And Adam Nagourney, chicagotribune.com, "Under attack from Trump, America’s democratic institutions bend but don’t break," 14 Dec. 2020 Instead of attending his successor's inauguration, as is traditional, NBC News has reported that Trump has discussed the possibility of holding a campaign-style rally on the day Biden takes the oath of office. — Susan Page, USA TODAY, "It's not 2000 anymore: President Trump's rejection of election sets rocky landscape for President-elect Biden," 13 Dec. 2020 Haller, 30, who took notes of the encounter and later testified about it under oath, said Detective Michael Hess arrived already convinced that Overton had poisoned her foster son Andrew Burd with salt. — John Maccormack, ExpressNews.com, "Murder by omission or conviction by design?," 9 Dec. 2020 Judge Sullivan noted that the government ignored the fact that Mr. Flynn had pleaded guilty under oath before the court and that his own statements in that plea could be used to prove his guilt. — Byron Tau, WSJ, "Judge Dismisses Flynn Case but Denounces Government’s Role," 8 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oath.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

16 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Oath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oath. Accessed 22 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for oath

oath

noun

English Language Learners Definition of oath

: a formal and serious promise to tell the truth or to do something

old-fashioned : an offensive or rude word that is used to express anger, frustration, surprise, etc.

See the full definition for oath in the English Language Learners Dictionary

oath

noun

\ ˈōth

plural oaths\ ˈōt͟hz , ˈōths \

Kids Definition of oath

1 : a solemn promise to tell the truth or do a specific thing

2 : an obscene or impolite word used to express anger or frustration

oath

Medical Definition of oath

— see hippocratic oath

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oath

noun

Legal Definition of oath

1 : a solemn attestation of the truth of one's words or the sincerity of one's intentions specifically : one accompanied by calling upon a deity as a witness

2 : a promise (as to perform official duties faithfully) corroborated by an oath — compare perjury

under oath

: under a solemn and especially legal obligation to tell the truth (as when testifying)

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