oath

noun

plural oaths ˈōt͟hz How to pronounce oath (audio)
ˈōths
1
a(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.

Examples of oath in a Sentence

an oath to defend the nation He uttered an oath and walked away.
Recent Examples on the Web That court had found that Donald Trump, owing to his role in the events of January 6th, had been disqualified under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment, which prohibits people who have sworn an oath to the Constitution and then engaged in an insurrection against it from holding office. Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2024 The two-sentence provision, intended to keep some Confederates from holding office again, says that those who violate oaths to support the Constitution are barred from various positions including congressional offices or serving as presidential electors. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 5 Mar. 2024 Trump is charged with 12 additional felonies in the case, including solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer and conspiracy to commit forgery. Sara Dorn, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 At worst, Biden is thumbing his nose at his oath to uphold the Constitution. The Editors, National Review, 22 Feb. 2024 After taking the police oath and being provided with a shield and other gifts, the 5-year-old got to try his hand at a number of cop experiences, from making arrests to answering phone calls — and he was also given his very own electric police car. Brian Brant, Peoplemag, 24 Feb. 2024 The number of new citizens taking the oath remains higher than during the Trump administration. Washington Post, 11 Feb. 2024 The provision was adopted after the Civil War to bar insurrectionists who had taken an oath to support the Constitution from holding office. Adam Liptak, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2024 The voters, though, said that the presidential oath is more demanding, and noted that Trump's interpretation of Section 3 effectively creates an exception that applies only to him. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oath.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ooth, from Old English āth; akin to Old High German eid oath, Middle Irish oeth

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of oath was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near oath

Cite this Entry

“Oath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oath. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

oath

noun
plural oaths ˈōt͟hz How to pronounce oath (audio)
ˈōths
1
: a solemn appeal to God or to some deeply respected person or thing to witness to the truth of one's word or the sincerity of a promise
under oath to tell the truth
2
: a careless or improper use of a sacred name
also : swearword

Medical Definition

oath

Legal Definition

oath

noun
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

More from Merriam-Webster on oath

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