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

Poland and Ukraine are using the event to finalize a new bilateral, intergovernmental pact designed to cover transport, energy, and logistics. — Lidia Kurasinska, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026

Under the pact with 20th TV, a part of Disney Television Studios, Robbins will develop, write and produce series for all linear networks and streamers, with an emphasis on platforms across Disney Entertainment Television. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 25 June 2026

But the number of teams still able to progress opens up the possibility of non-aggression pacts in this final round of group games, evoking memories of West Germany vs Austria at the 1982 World Cup. — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 24 June 2026

Still, Getty’s business model was viewed as particularly threatened by AI due to the rapid rise of image generators, but by monetizing a licensing pact with OpenAI, Getty may be showing Wall Street there’s a path forward to generate revenue from AI. — John Kell, Fortune, 24 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"