vow

noun \ ˈvau̇ \

|Updated on: 12 Aug 2018

Examples: vow in a Sentence

Definition of vow

: a solemn promise or assertion; specifically : one by which a person is bound to an act, service, or condition

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Examples of vow in a Sentence

The monks take a vow of silence.
The bride and groom exchanged vows.
The mayor made a vow to reduce crime.

Recent Examples of vow from the Web

Trump campaigned on a vow to tap pro-life judges for the Supreme Court.

— celeste katz, Glamour, "What Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court Nomination Could Mean for Your Abortion Rights," 9 July 2018
The area had been protected by a yearlong cease-fire deal brokered by Russia, the U.S. and Jordan, but that is now in shambles as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad seeks to make good on a vow to retake every inch of Syria.

— raja abdulrahim, WSJ, "Syria Rebels Agree to Cede Several Towns to the Assad Regime," 2 July 2018
Lopez Obrador, who hails from an impoverished part of Mexico where oil exploitation began, reiterated a vow to review for signs of corruption contracts issued to private energy firms under the current government.

— katherine blunt, Houston Chronicle, "Mexican election spells uncertainty for foreign energy investments," 2 July 2018
The obvious reason for cheer was Mr Flannery’s renewed promise to slim down the unwieldy conglomerate, including a vow to slash its net debt and pension obligations by $25bn.

— The Economist, "John Flannery gets down to business restructuring General Electric," 27 June 2018
Chandler, a transgender woman, said a vow to serve her country after experiencing the September 11, 2001, terror attacks in New York City led her to work as an intelligence analyst until last year.

— maegan vazquez, CNN, "A record number of LGBTQ candidates are running for office to run for office. Here's why.," 15 June 2018
Despite severing official ties with Taipei in 1979, Washington has acted as the backstop for Taiwan’s security through arms sales and a vow to intervene should China attempt to claim Taiwan by force.

— debby wu, Bloomberg.com, "New U.S. Taiwan Office Prompts Questions Over Who'll Lead It," 12 June 2018
The world would undergo a near-total vow of silence.

— ben marcus, The New Yorker, "Stay Down and Take It," 19 May 2018
The scatological soft rock of the comedian Tim Heidecker’s Too Dumb for Suicide opens with a vow to keep dissenting even if tortured in the basement of Trump Tower.

— spencer kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Can Protest Art Get Its Mojo Back?," 7 May 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of vow

Middle English vowe, from Anglo-French vou, from Latin votum, from neuter of votus, past participle of vovēre to vow; akin to Greek euchesthai to pray, vow, Sanskrit vāghat sacrificer

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First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined above

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