promising

1 of 2

adjective

prom·​is·​ing ˈprä-mə-siŋ 

: full of promise : likely to succeed or to yield good results

a promising new medicine

promisingly adverb

promising

2 of 2

present participle of promise entry 2

Synonyms of promising

Adjective

• bright
• optimistic
• hopeful
• encouraging
• likely

Examples of promising in a Sentence

Adjective

The neighborhood didn't look very promising.

a promising writer who just may write the great American novel someday

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Consider messenger RNA technology — the basis for the first COVID vaccines, as well as several promising experimental treatments for genetic disorders and cancer. — Robert Kelly, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026

Read more from Drew about the company’s promising data and challenges ahead. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 21 Oct. 2026

With just two weeks to go until Election Night, sky-high utility bills have become a major issue in the Los Angeles mayor's race, with both incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and Nithya Raman promising action. — Tom Wait, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Developing a medicine in the United States typically takes 10 to 15 years, from identifying a promising biological target to securing regulatory approval. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1594, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for promising

• unpromising

Kids Definition

promising

adjective

prom·​is·​ing

ˈpräm-ə-siŋ

: likely to turn out well

a promising student

promisingly

-siŋ-lē

adverb