oath

noun

\ 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

The small recording device was concealed inside an eyeglass case, Turner testified under oath at a state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities hearing. — Jon Lender, courant.com, "FBI recording device, concealed inside an eyeglass case, used to capture former board chairman’s conversation in 2014 inquiry of Connecticut Lottery Corp.," 10 July 2019 During the trial, senior assistant district attorney James Fayette pointed to a history of explosive arguments between the two, which neighbors often overheard and which were described under oath as including violent threats from him. — USA Today, "Alaska is considered the deadliest state for women. A staggering 59% of women there have experienced violence.," 25 June 2019 Villegas-Hoag was among the 115 police recruits in Class 58-18 who took the oath at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center on Wednesday. — Emily Sweeney, BostonGlobe.com, "Boston Police Department welcomes 115 new officers to the force," 19 June 2019 The most famous, the one on which Lincoln placed his hand at his inauguration in 1861, is held by the Library of Congress in Washington and was used by Barack Obama to take the oath of office in 2009 and 2013 and by Donald J. Trump in 2017. — Peter Baker, New York Times, "A New Lincoln Bible, From a Mantel to a Presidential Library," 19 June 2019 Michael Barcott, a Seattle maritime attorney who represented Fishing Company of Alaska during the investigation, told The Seattle Times that both Lundy and company officials already testified under oath at the hearings. — Anchorage Daily News, "A decade after the Alaska Ranger sank, a survivor changes his story," 13 Apr. 2018 This week, Toni Atkins made history in taking the oath as president pro tempore of the California Senate, two years after serving as speaker of the Assembly. — Jazmine Ulloa, latimes.com, "In races to replace lawmakers felled by sexual harassment claims, one group aims to send women to Sacramento," 22 Mar. 2018 Modi’s oath-taking ceremony in 2014 was also attended by then Pakistan prime minister, Nawaz Sharif. — Kuwar Singh, Quartz India, "Narendra Modi begins his second term as India’s prime minister," 30 May 2019 This version was revealed—under oath—by Joe Shimon, the DC police detective who maintained close connections with the FBI and with Sam Giancana and Johnny Rosselli. — Lee Server, Town & Country, "The Real Reason Frank Sinatra Was Banned from the Kennedy White House," 7 Nov. 2018

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

13 Jul 2019

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Time Traveler for oath

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

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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)