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

Ricardo Sheffield, a prominent Morena senator who was previously a member of the center-right National Action Party, has called for a review of oil pacts with Cuba. —Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026

Policy changes that Northwestern agreed to included terminating the Deering Meadow Agreement, a 2024 pact with demonstrators under which the university had, among other things, provided temporary space for two Middle Eastern and Muslim student groups. —Bill Chappell, NPR, 29 Jan. 2026

Earlier this month, Apple and Google announced a multiyear pact under which the next generation of Apple’s foundational artificial-intelligence models will be based on Google’s Gemini AI technology. —Todd Spangler, Variety, 29 Jan. 2026

This pact aims to forge a robust gold trading ecosystem, complete with a cross-border clearing platform. —Sean Lee, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 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"