warranty

noun war·ran·ty \ ˈwȯr-ən-tē , ˈwär- \

Updated on: 15 May 2018

Definition of warranty

plural warranties

1 a : a real covenant binding the grantor of an estate and the grantor's heirs to warrant and defend the title

b : a collateral undertaking that a fact regarding the subject of a contract is or will be as it is expressly or by implication declared or promised to be

2 : something that authorizes, sanctions, supports, or justifies : warrant

3 : a usually written guarantee of the integrity of a product and of the maker's responsibility for the repair or replacement of defective parts

See warranty defined for English-language learners

See warranty defined for kids

Examples of warranty in a Sentence

The stereo came with a three-year warranty.
a one-year warranty for the refrigerator

Recent Examples of warranty from the Web

The company offers a lifetime warranty that protects your sheets from pilling, ripping or fraying.

— banu ibrahim, CNN Underscored, "This popular luxury linen brand rarely goes on sale -- until now," 26 Apr. 2018
Apparently, owners of vehicles that are out of warranty have faced repair estimates of $3,500 or more.

— The Economist, "Do electric cars dream of software fixes?," 22 Apr. 2018
Now the powertrain warranty is good for only 60,000 miles.

— ronald montoya, edmunds, USA TODAY, "Are you covered? 7 things you may not know about new car warranties," 13 Apr. 2018
Read more: Biglari Holdings shareholders drop effort to stop special meeting Martin Door accuses US Tax Recovery of deceptive trade practices and breach of warranty.

— patrick danner and zeke maccormack, San Antonio Express-News, "FBI investigating possible wrongdoing at Kerrville company, sources say," 12 Apr. 2018
One of the roofs in question is still under warranty, according to Sulich.

— denise coffey, Courant Community, "Canterbury Boards Battle Over Roof Replacement, Education Budget," 3 Apr. 2018
Toyota has since extended the warranty of the cars affected, and promised to reimburse those who have been left out-of-pocket.

— The Economist, "Do electric cars dream of software fixes?," 22 Apr. 2018
Apple notes that any damage that inhibits the battery’s replacement will need to be repaired first, and that the program doesn’t extend the computer’s standard warranty.

— andrew liptak, The Verge, "Apple is replacing the batteries for some 13-inch MacBook Pros," 21 Apr. 2018
Now the powertrain warranty is good for only 60,000 miles.

— ronald montoya, edmunds, USA TODAY, "Are you covered? 7 things you may not know about new car warranties," 13 Apr. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of warranty

Middle English warantie, from Anglo-French warantie, garantie, from warentir to warrant

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

warranty Synonyms

Synonyms

bond, contract, covenant, deal, guarantee, guaranty, surety;

Related Words

oath, pledge, troth, vow, word;

accord, bargain, compact, concordat, convention, pact, treaty;

assurance, insurance, seal;

bail, deposit, pawn, security;

Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

Financial Definition of WARRANTY

warranty

noun

What It Is

A warranty is a guarantee, usually written, that a product or service works as expected.

How It Works

For example, when you buy a new car from a car dealer, the warranty states that the car works. If the car doesn't work, the warranty gives the owner the right to have the dealer fix the car under certain conditions (length of time, cause of damage, etc.). These conditions are typically spelled out in the warranty. In many cases, consumers can buy extended warrantees from manufacturers, sellers, or third parties.

A warranty can exist even when it's not in writing (that's called an implied warranty). For example, when you order a hamburger at a restaurant, it comes with the implied warranty that it is edible. The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) contains an "implied warranty of merchantability" that states that in every sales transaction, the good sold must be fit for the ordinary purposes for which the good is used, would pass without objection in the trade, is adequately packaged and labeled, and reflects the promises made on the label.

Sometimes an implied warranty also exists when the seller knows what the buyer is going to use the good for and the buyer relies on the seller's judgment when choosing the goods. If the buyer is a knowledgeable buyer, however, the implied warranty doesn't always exist, especially if the buyer knows as much or more about the product than the seller does.

Why It Matters

Warranties protect consumers from purchases involving products or services that are defective or are not what was represented by the seller. They are often the legal mechanism behind why consumers can usually return defective products to merchants for a refund. Sometimes, sellers will disclaim an implied warranty at the time of sale (though they have to do this in writing and usually in boldface print).

Source: Investing Answers

implied warranty

noun

What It Is

An implied warranty is an unwritten guarantee that a product or service works as expected.

How It Works

An implied warranty is a lot like an assumption. For example, when you buy a new car from a car dealer, the implied warranty is that the car works. When you order a hamburger at a restaurant, it comes with the implied warranty that it is edible.

The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) contains an "implied warranty of merchantability" that states that in every sales transaction, the good sold must be fit for the ordinary purposes for which the good is used, would pass without objection in the trade, is adequately packaged and labeled, and reflects the promises made on the label. Sometimes an implied warranty also exists when the seller knows what the buyer is going to use the good for and the buyer relies on the seller's judgment when choosing the goods. If the buyer is a knowledgeable buyer, however, the implied warranty doesn't always exist, especially if the buyer knows as much or more about the product than the seller does.

Why It Matters

Implied warranties protect consumers from purchases involving products or services that are not what was represented by the seller. They are often the legal mechanism behind why consumers can usually return defective products to merchants for a refund. Sometimes, sellers will disclaim an implied warranty at the time of sale (though they have to do this in writing and usually in boldface print).

Source: Investing Answers

WARRANTY Defined for English Language Learners

warranty

noun

Definition of warranty for English Language Learners

: a written statement that promises the good condition of a product and states that the maker is responsible for repairing or replacing the product usually for a certain period of time after its purchase

Law Dictionary

warranty

noun war·ran·ty \ ˈwȯr-ən-tē, ˈwär- \

legal Definition of warranty

plural warranties

1 : a promise in a deed that gives the grantee of an estate recourse (as through an action for damages) against the grantor and the grantor's heirs in case the grantee is evicted by someone holding a paramount title — called also covenant of warranty; see also special warranty deed and warranty deed at deed

2 a : a promise in a contract (as for a sale or lease) which states that the subject of the contract is as represented (as in being free from defective workmanship) and which gives the warrantee recourse against the warrantor

a warranty against defects is implied by the sale

— see also breach of warranty at breach 1a — compare caveat emptor

Note: A warranty was originally considered to extend only to those parties having privity of contract (as the manufacturer and dealer of an automobile), but cases have held that a warranty also extends to the final consumer who does not contract directly with the manufacturer. Both express and implied warranties may be modified, limited, or even waived by agreement of the parties. Breach of a warranty generally does not constitute breach of the entire contract.

— express warranty

: a warranty that is created in a contract by a statement of fact (as a description) which is made about the object of the contract and which forms a basis of the bargain

— implied warranty

: a warranty that is not expressly stated but that is recognized or imposed by the law based on the nature of the transaction

— warranty of fitness

: a usually implied warranty that the property being sold is fit for the purpose for which the buyer is purchasing it

Note: Under the Uniform Commercial Code, a seller must know the purpose for which goods are being bought and that the buyer is relying on the seller's skill or judgment in order for a warranty of fitness to be implied.

— warranty of habitability

: a usually implied warranty in a residential lease that the leased premises will be habitable

Note: If a landlord breaches a warranty of habitability, a tenant may have such remedies as terminating the tenancy, recovering damages, or withholding rent. The warranty is based in many jurisdictions either on case law or statute.

— warranty of merchantability

: a usually implied warranty that the property being sold is merchantable (as by being of a quality that is generally acceptable in that line of trade)

Note: Under the Uniform Commercial Code, a warranty of merchantability is not implied unless the seller is a merchant with respect to the goods sold.

b : a usually written guarantee of the integrity of a consumer product and of the maker's responsibility for the repair or replacement of defective parts — see also Consumer Product Safety Act

3 : a statement made in an insurance policy by the insured that a fact relating to the subject of the insurance or the risk exists or will exist or that some related act has been done or will be done — compare representation

Note: A warranty in an insurance policy must be true or be fulfilled in order for the policy to be valid.

— affirmative warranty

: a warranty stating that a fact or condition is currently true

— promissory warranty

: a warranty stating that a fact or condition is and will remain true