1
as in bright
having qualities which inspire hope
a promising writer who just may write the great American novel someday
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in encouraging
pointing toward a happy outcome
all the signs for the new business are promising
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in vowing
to make a solemn declaration of intent
they promised to keep in touch with us after they moved away
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in predicting
to show signs of a favorable or successful outcome
given the cast, the new sitcom promises to be an excellent show
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of promising
Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
Happily, recent years have brought some promising signs of this species’ return—and with better food, this time, as at the revamped El Quijote, in the Chelsea Hotel, a dusty old paella joint reborn, in recent years, as a sparkly high-roller dinner spot.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2025
This sounded promising, but industry analysts quickly pointed out that about ninety per cent of Americans get their prescribed medications through insurance plans.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for promising
Adjective
This indicates a promising future for many of the show's participants.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
Happily, recent years have brought some promising signs of this species’ return—and with better food, this time, as at the revamped El Quijote, in the Chelsea Hotel, a dusty old paella joint reborn, in recent years, as a sparkly high-roller dinner spot.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
Musk has been promising to turn existing Tesla EVs into robotaxis with a software update for about a decade.
—Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2025
This sounded promising, but industry analysts quickly pointed out that about ninety per cent of Americans get their prescribed medications through insurance plans.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for promising
Recent Examples of Synonyms for promising
Adjective
-
Their observations revealed an ULIRG hidden just behind the bright quasar, invisible to traditional optical telescopes.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Oct. 2025
-
The bright pink and green exterior of the secluded river lodge perfectly matched her and her fiancé's wedding colors.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Williams has shown some encouraging signs.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Luckily, my mother was very encouraging with that.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Macron has previously ruled out resigning himself, vowing to see out his second and last presidential term to its end in 2027.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Play had positioned itself as the successor to Wow, another shuttered Icelandic carrier, vowing to avoid the mistakes of its predecessor.—
Barbara Peterson,
AFAR Media,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
With Turpin back, all three (Jalen Tolbert included) will be like predicting the Packers receivers when all are healthy.—
Jake Ciely,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
High geopolitical volatility makes predicting the market’s future even more difficult than usual, a Reuters columnist argued.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Joe Biden 'optimistic' in cancer fight Former President Joe Biden is now receiving radiation therapy for his prostate cancer, a spokesperson for the former president confirmed to ABC News.—
Molly Nagle,
ABC News,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Throughout the 1970s, as much as Nicholson’s rebels or Beatty’s hopeless romantics, Keaton’s optimistic dreamers repeatedly collided with the realities of the times, measuring the distance between what the counterculture thought was possible and what the world would actually allow.—
Tim Grierson,
Rolling Stone,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The film turned out to be a critical success, garnering favorable reviews for its visually arresting style rather than just the acting or the plot.—
Kati Chitrakorn,
CNN Money,
10 Oct. 2025
-
These seemingly include greasing the wheels for other deals with his administration and installing executives favorable to the President and his culture wars agenda.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Detroit Tigers radio announcer Dan Dickerson has apologized after swearing on a hot mic during a commercial break, expressing his frustration after Detroit’s 3-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners in Game 5 of the American League Division Series.—
Devon Henderson,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
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On her first-ever boat, she was berated by a misogynistic captain to the point of swearing back at him and walking off.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Hickman County emergency services are warning people to stay away from the Bucksnort area after an explosion has killed an unknown number of people at an explosives manufacturing plant.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
Nashville Tennessean,
10 Oct. 2025
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At the center of the government shutdown are Democrats’ demands that the GOP extend Obamacare premiums, warning of severe price hikes without it that will make health insurance unaffordable for many on the Affordable Care Act plans.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Promising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/promising. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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