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

In reality, the new pact was a much lighter arrangement compared with the splashy (and very expensive) one that birthed Harry & Meghan, Polo and With Love, Meghan, among other projects. —Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 6 Mar. 2026

Japan and Canada will start negotiations aimed at achieving a defense pact that would simplify procedures for their miliary visits, joint exercises and other operations. —ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026

Ramaphosa said efforts to maintain ties with the US were bearing fruit and pointed to the fact that South Africa was not removed from the AGOA trade program, which gives some African countries duty-free access to the US, when the pact was recently extended by a year. —semafor.com, 6 Mar. 2026

The two allies agreed to a cooperation pact in January 2025. —Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 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"