promise

noun prom·ise \ ˈprä-məs \

Updated on: 22 May 2018

1 a : a declaration that one will do or refrain from doing something specified

b : a legally binding declaration that gives the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act

2 : reason to expect something

little promise of relief

; especially : ground for expectation of success, improvement, or excellence

shows considerable promise

3 : something that is promised

See promise defined for English-language learners

See promise defined for kids

Examples of promise in a Sentence

She gave me her promise.
She never made a promise that she didn't intend to keep.
There is little promise of relief in the forecast.
They were attracted by the promise of success.
a sunny morning that gives every promise of a fine day
There is a promise of better days ahead.

Recent Examples of promise from the Web

The advent of new artificial intelligence products promises to make recordings easier to use.

— casey ross, STAT, "More patients are taking home recordings of their doctor visits. But who else could listen?," 18 May 2018
And there are promises that are kept on the Iranian deal, the embassy in Jerusalem, the tax cuts, on killing the Obamacare individual mandate.

— david zurawik, baltimoresun.com, "Trump propaganda is even worse than you think on Fox News these nights," 17 May 2018
The extraordinary promise from Canada’s Finance Minister, Bill Morneau, underlines the importance the project represents for the government, the economy and the country’s energy sector.

— paul vieira, WSJ, "Canada Ready to Compensate Kinder Morgan for Pipeline Losses," 16 May 2018
States and cities across the country are running short of cash because of such promises, as Mary Williams Walsh reported in The New York Times last month.

— New York Times, "New York Has Given Away the Keys to More Than a Prius," 15 May 2018
Herrera began to show some promise last season at Class A Wisconsin (3-2, 3.79 ERA in nine games) and is back with the Timber Rattlers this year.

— tom haudricourt, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Acquired at 19, Freddy Peralta rocketed through Brewers system toward sensational debut," 14 May 2018
But despite their promises and appeals – and statements of support by Trump's own military advisers and a number of U.S. lawmakers who previously had objected to the deal – the Europeans were unable to persuade the president.

— author: karen deyoung, anne gearan, david nakamura, Anchorage Daily News, "Trump expected dump Iran nuclear deal," 8 May 2018
The 2018 election promises to shake up Arizona's landscape.

— ronald j. hansen, azcentral, "Kyrsten Sinema took thousands from California congressman accused of molesting girl," 7 May 2018
The man tasked with delivering on those promises, CTO Mike Schroepfer, picked up that theme in a keynote and interview at Facebook’s annual developer conference Wednesday.

— tom simonite, WIRED, "How Artificial Intelligence Can–and Can't–Fix Facebook," 3 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'promise.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of promise

Middle English promis, from Latin promissum, from neuter of promissus, past participle of promittere to send forth, promise, from pro- forth + mittere to send

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First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

promise Synonyms

Synonyms

oath, pledge, troth, vow, word;

agreement, compact, contract, covenant;

assurance, guarantee, guaranty, undertaking;

bail, bond, deposit, gage, pawn, security, token, warranty;

promise

verb

promised; promising

transitive verb

1 : to pledge to do, bring about, or provide

promise aid

2 archaic : warrant, assure

3 chiefly dialectal : betroth

4 : to suggest beforehand : give promise of

dark clouds promise rain

intransitive verb

1 : to make a promise

2 : to give ground for expectation : be imminent

—

promisee

play \ˌprä-mə-ˈsē\ noun

—

promisor

play \ˌprä-mə-ˈsȯr\ or less commonly promiser play \ˈprä-mə-sər\ noun

See promise defined for English-language learners

Examples of promise in a Sentence

Promise me that you won't tell anyone.
I can't promise you that I'll be able to go, but I'll do my best.
The governor promised that the prisoners would receive a fair trial.
She promised to announce the results tomorrow.
International organizations have promised aid.
I promise to be careful.
You always promise, but you never do what you say you will.
“I won't tell anyone.” “Promise?” “Yes, I promise.”
Those gray skies promise rain.

Recent Examples of promise from the Web

The satellite office was promised by Kane County Clerk John Cunningham in a Letter of Intent that spelled out certain things in the event voters eliminated the Aurora Election Commission.

— steve lord, Aurora Beacon-News, "Kane County clerk's office set to get rent-free lease in Aurora, but alderman has concerns," 17 May 2018
To hear South Jersey politicians tell it, the sandwich shop on the ground floor of the Victor Lofts apartments was a harbinger of the elusive revitalization that had been promised to the city’s residents for decades.

— allison steele, Philly.com, "Lunch spots boom as big business brings employees to Camden," 17 May 2018
Here is a rundown of the people at the meeting, which was set up after Donald Trump Jr. was promised incriminating information on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton provided by Russia.

— byron tau, WSJ, "Who’s Who at the 2016 Trump Tower Meeting With Russian Lawyer," 16 May 2018
And the groups have been promised meetings with an independent monitor to discuss the city’s compliance.

— john byrne, chicagotribune.com, "Emanuel says he's 'playing it down the middle' on police reform as FOP urges members to protest him," 16 May 2018
Some schools that were promised by the district as part of 2014's $200 million school construction bond campaign could be axed unless the district and state reach agreement.

— patrick o'donnell, cleveland.com, "Some promised new schools could be axed as Cleveland district, state fight over money," 15 May 2018
Residents have been promised priority slots in new housing units after Journey’s End is redeveloped, but that will take years.

— lizzie johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, "Displaced seniors’ homes survived Wine Country fires — but residents can’t move back," 15 May 2018
And customers were promised regular access to trainers as needed to help personalize the dogs' training.

— beth mole, Ars Technica, "$25K “diabetic alert dogs” were untrained, un-housebroken puppies, lawsuit says," 10 May 2018
The brothers’s ancestors were promised education through treaties their nations signed in good faith.

— adrienne keene, Teen Vogue, "Colorado State University Tour Incident Is Nothing New for Native Students," 7 May 2018

First Known Use of promise

15th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

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promise Synonyms

Synonyms

augur, bode, forebode (also forbode);

forewarn, warn;

anticipate, divine, foreknow, foresee;

betoken, foreshadow, harbinger, portend, prefigure, presignify;

indicate, signify;

allude, connote, hint, imply, insinuate, intimate, suggest;

Phrases

bid fair;

PROMISE Defined for English Language Learners

promise

noun

: a statement telling someone that you will definitely do something or that something will definitely happen in the future
: an indication of future success or improvement
: a reason to expect that something will happen in the future

promise

verb

: to tell someone that you will definitely do something or that something will definitely happen in the future
: to make (something) seem likely : to show signs of (something that is likely or expected to happen)

PROMISE Defined for Kids

promise

noun prom·ise \ ˈprä-məs \

1 : a statement by a person that he or she will do or not do something

I made a promise to pay within a month.

2 : a cause or ground for hope

These plans give promise of success.

promise

verb

promised; promising

1 : to state that something will or will not be done

I promise to clean my room this afternoon.

2 : to give reason to expect

Dark clouds promise rain.

Law Dictionary

promise

noun prom·ise

: a declaration or manifestation especially in a contract of an intention to act or refrain from acting in a specified way that gives the party to whom it is made a right to expect its fulfillment

— aleatory promise

: a promise (as to compensate an insured individual for future loss) whose fulfillment is dependent on a fortuitous or uncertain event

— collateral promise

: a promise usually to pay the debt of another that is ancillary to an original promise, is not made for the benefit of the party making it, and must be in writing to be enforceable

— false promise

: a promise that is made with no intention of carrying it out and especially with intent to deceive or defraud

— gratuitous promise

: a promise that is made without consideration and is usually unenforceable — called also naked promise; compare nudum pactum

Note: A gratuitous promise may be enforceable under promissory estoppel.

— illusory promise

: a purported promise that does not actually bind the party making it to a particular performance

an illusory promise depending solely on the will of the supposed promisor

— implied promise

: a promise that is considered to exist despite the lack of an agreement or express terms to that effect and the breach of which may be recognized as a cause of action

claimed a breach of an implied promise that he would not be terminated at will

— see also promise implied in fact and promise implied in law in this entry

— naked promise

: gratuitous promise in this entry

— original promise

: a promise (as in a suretyship) usually to pay the debt of another that is made primarily for the benefit of the party making it and need not be in writing to be enforceable — compare collateral promise in this entry, main purpose rule

— promise implied in fact

: an implied promise that exists by inference from specific facts, circumstances, or acts of the parties

— promise implied in law

: an implied promise that exists on the basis of a legally enforceable duty and not on the basis of words or conduct which are promissory in form or support an inference of a promise