1
as in bright
having qualities which inspire hope
a promising writer who just may write the great American novel someday
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Tarek Fattal, Daily News, 5 Mar. 2026
And the most promising lead in addiction in decades will have come not from a deliberate search but from patients reporting a benefit no one anticipated.
—Ziyad Al-Aly, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2026
Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 6 Mar. 2026
Despite the fact that mental health parity has been paused and Medicaid financing (responsible for more than a quarter of all behavioral health expenditures) is on the ropes, there are some promising recent developments on mental illness and addiction.
—Anand Parekh, STAT, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for promising
Adjective
Time will tell … but the promising start looks good.
—Tarek Fattal, Daily News, 5 Mar. 2026
And the most promising lead in addiction in decades will have come not from a deliberate search but from patients reporting a benefit no one anticipated.
—Ziyad Al-Aly, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
Set in the small town of Kharkams, in South Africa’s mountainous Kamiesberg region, the film follows an elderly goat herder, Hettie, who falls victim to a scam promising long-overdue reparations for her father’s WWII service.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 6 Mar. 2026
Despite the fact that mental health parity has been paused and Medicaid financing (responsible for more than a quarter of all behavioral health expenditures) is on the ropes, there are some promising recent developments on mental illness and addiction.
—Anand Parekh, STAT, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for promising
Recent Examples of Synonyms for promising
Adjective
-
Points of bright-eyed inspiration.—
Jason LeCras,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Would the girl with the bright smile have been embarrassed by her love Stitch as a teen?—
Gillian Stawiszynski,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
And the Royals appreciate the encouraging start.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
7 Mar. 2026
-
This encouraging result is a testament to the heroism of Mexican forces, particularly of those who lost their lives in the line of duty, and reaffirms the effectiveness of ongoing cooperation between Mexico and the United States, including the intelligence‑sharing that supported the operation.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In comments last week, PBOC Governor Pan Gongsheng warned that external volatility could spill over into China, vowing that the central bank will try to insulate the domestic market from contagion.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Progressive groups are vowing to mount challenges from the left to any lawmaker who opposes the war powers vote, Axios reported.—
Nicholas Wu,
semafor.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The ski resort was predicting cloudy skies for most of the weekend with a high of 31 on Friday.—
Hali Smith,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Mar. 2026
-
With forecasts predicting a high of 84 degrees on Sunday, Los Angeles Marathon organizers will offer medals to runners who complete 18 miles.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
And though the devastation wrought by last year’s fire was unprecedented in its scale, the Schneiders remain optimistic about the future of their beloved enclave and its plucky local paper.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The reason most fans remain optimistic is the sheer amount of skill position talent Florida retained surrounding its quarterback.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Clearly, new coach John Harbaugh had a favorable assessment of Neal from the 2022 draft process when the Alabama lineman was viewed as a top prospect.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Borrowers with good credit and steady income have the most options, including debt consolidation programs with favorable terms.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Warren was bleeding but conscious, propped on an elbow, ordering Sneaky to get the sheep back, swearing when the man tried to move him.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Mar. 2026
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Another research project showed that negative spectator behaviors like swearing or threatening language was observed at 68% of events.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
What’s the difference between a tornado watch and warning?—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Xcel Energy is warning its customers along the Front Range to be prepared for possible power outages this week as the risk of wildfire surges due to hot and dry weather.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Promising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/promising. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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