promise

1 of 2

noun

prom·​ise ˈprä-məs 

1

a

: a declaration that one will do or refrain from doing something specified

b

: a legally binding declaration that gives the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act

2

: reason to expect something

little promise of relief

especially : ground for expectation of success, improvement, or excellence

shows considerable promise

3

: something that is promised

promise

2 of 2

verb

promised; promising

transitive verb

1

: to pledge to do, bring about, or provide

promise aid

2

archaic : warrant, assure

3

chiefly dialectal : betroth

4

: to suggest beforehand : give promise of

dark clouds promise rain

intransitive verb

1

: to make a promise

2

: to give ground for expectation : be imminent

promisee

ˌprä-mə-ˈsē 

noun

promisor

ˌprä-mə-ˈsȯr 

noun

or less commonly promiser

ˈprä-mə-sər 

Synonyms

Noun

• oath
• pledge
• troth
• vow
• word

Verb

• covenant
• pledge
• swear
• vow

Examples of promise in a Sentence

Noun

She gave me her promise.

She never made a promise that she didn't intend to keep.

There is little promise of relief in the forecast.

They were attracted by the promise of success.

a sunny morning that gives every promise of a fine day

There is a promise of better days ahead.

Verb

Promise me that you won't tell anyone.

I can't promise you that I'll be able to go, but I'll do my best.

The governor promised that the prisoners would receive a fair trial.

She promised to announce the results tomorrow.

International organizations have promised aid.

I promise to be careful.

You always promise, but you never do what you say you will.

“I won't tell anyone.” “Promise?” “Yes, I promise.”

Those gray skies promise rain.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But after a few months of treatment that had showed some promise, the cancer was growing again. —Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024

At the center of the contest is incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who first rose to power in 2014 on the promise of economic reform and a Hindu nationalist mandate. —Astha Rajvanshi, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024

The program has shown some promise: During Mexico’s 2021 elections, when it was introduced, the number of attacks on candidates slowed, said Manuel Perez, an investigator at the Seminar on Violence and Peace at the Colegio de México. —David Shortell, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024

The announcement comes as the administration has ramped up its efforts to find workarounds to deliver on policy promises to key constituencies, like young voters and communities of color, on issues like gun violence, where Mr. Biden’s priorities have no chance of passing in a divided Congress. —Erica L. Green, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024

Sending me messages of promise to be present more for their own kids. —Gillian Telling, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024

On Monday, Moriarty fulfilled his promise when about 100 former students watched the total solar eclipse from the driveway of his Rochester, N.Y., home. —Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024

Trump, Biden have clear differences Trump campaigned in 2016 with the promise to overturn Roe v. Wade and, once elected, nominated three conservative justices to the U.S. Supreme Court. —Jessica Van Egeren, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024

The company appears to be making good on that promise. —Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024

Verb

Bernie Madoff, the Manhattan investment adviser who promised stellar returns to his A-list clients and instead defrauded them of more than $19 billion in history’s largest Ponzi scheme, died in prison in 2021 at age 82. —Peter Blumberg, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024

The bank and Erdoğan promised more regulations to follow. —Leif Wenar, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024

The governor also promised to focus on infrastructure projects such as building the Sites Reservoir and vowed to move ahead with the Delta Conveyance Project, a tunnel the state has proposed for decades to carry water beneath Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. —Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 2 Apr. 2024

Biden’s reelection campaign promised more engagement in Florida after the rulings. —Lori Rozsa, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024

Consumers need to be aware that a Facebook or other social post that promises a good deal on a last-minute hotel room could be a scam. —Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 2 Apr. 2024

The state offers a plethora of activities that promise excitement, beauty, and a whole lot of fun. —Jp Shaffer, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2024

The government loudly promised to liberate all Ukrainian territory, including land taken by Russia in 2014, and demanded reparations. —Branislav L. Slantchev, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2024

Her first manager, Camille Barbone, promised a weekly wage of a hundred dollars and got her bicycle repaired. —Andrew O’Hagan, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English promis, from Latin promissum, from neuter of promissus, past participle of promittere to send forth, promise, from pro- forth + mittere to send

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing promise

• a lick and a promise
• breach of promise
• full of promise
• go back on one's promise
• hold/have promise
• I (can) promise you
• make a promise
• promise (someone) the stars/moon/earth/world
• show (a lot of) promise
• break one's promise
• keep/fulfill one's promise
• lick and a promise

Kids Definition

promise

1 of 2 noun

prom·​ise ˈpräm-əs 

1

: a statement by a person that he or she will or will not do something

a promise to pay within a month

2

: something promised

3

: a cause or ground for hope

give promise of success

shows promise

promise

2 of 2 verb

promised; promising

1

: to give a promise about one's own actions

I promise to clean my room this afternoon

2

: to give reason to expect

dark clouds promising rain

promisor

ˌpräm-ə-ˈsȯ(ə)r 

noun

Etymology

Noun

Middle English promisse, promis "promise," derived from Latin promissus, past participle of promittere "to send forth, promise," from pro- "forward, forth" and mittere "to send, throw" — related to message

Legal Definition

promise

noun

prom·​ise

: a declaration or manifestation especially in a contract of an intention to act or refrain from acting in a specified way that gives the party to whom it is made a right to expect its fulfillment

— aleatory promise

: a promise (as to compensate an insured individual for future loss) whose fulfillment is dependent on a fortuitous or uncertain event

— collateral promise

: a promise usually to pay the debt of another that is ancillary to an original promise, is not made for the benefit of the party making it, and must be in writing to be enforceable

— false promise

: a promise that is made with no intention of carrying it out and especially with intent to deceive or defraud

— gratuitous promise

: a promise that is made without consideration and is usually unenforceable

called also naked promise

compare nudum pactum

Note: A gratuitous promise may be enforceable under promissory estoppel.

— illusory promise

: a purported promise that does not actually bind the party making it to a particular performance

an illusory promise depending solely on the will of the supposed promisor

— implied promise

: a promise that is considered to exist despite the lack of an agreement or express terms to that effect and the breach of which may be recognized as a cause of action

claimed a breach of an implied promise that he would not be terminated at will

see also promise implied in fact and promise implied in law in this entry

— naked promise

: gratuitous promise in this entry

— original promise

: a promise (as in a suretyship) usually to pay the debt of another that is made primarily for the benefit of the party making it and need not be in writing to be enforceable compare collateral promise in this entry, main purpose rule

— promise implied in fact

: an implied promise that exists by inference from specific facts, circumstances, or acts of the parties

— promise implied in law

: an implied promise that exists on the basis of a legally enforceable duty and not on the basis of words or conduct which are promissory in form or support an inference of a promise

a promise implied in law that one will be compensated for services rendered and accepted