Promise — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈprä-məs/ prom·ise

Meaning & Definition of Promise

Promise (noun)

  1. a declaration that one will do or refrain from doing something specified
  2. 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
  3. reason to expect something; especially, ground for expectation of success, improvement, or excellence

Promise (verb)

  1. to pledge to do, bring about, or provide
  2. warrant, assure
  3. betroth

Promise (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make a solemn declaration of intent

    "they promised to keep in touch with us after they moved away"

    similar: covenant, pledge, swear, vow, give one's word
    related: affiance, betroth, plight, troth, accede, agree, assent, consent, contract, engage, ensure, guarantee, undertake, affirm, assert, aver, avouch, avow, declare, insist, warrant

  2. to show signs of a favorable or successful outcome

    "given the cast, the new sitcom promises to be an excellent show"

    similar: augur, bode, forebode, bid fair
    related: forecast, foretell, predict, presage, prognosticate, prophesy, forewarn, warn, anticipate, divine, foreknow, foresee, betoken, foreshadow, harbinger, portend, prefigure, presignify, indicate, signify, allude, connote, hint, imply, insinuate, intimate, suggest

Promise (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a person's solemn declaration that he or she will do or not do something

    "he made a promise to arrive on time, come hell or high water"

    similar: oath, pledge, troth, vow, word
    related: appointment, arrangement, commitment, engagement, obligation, agreement, compact, contract, covenant, assurance, guarantee, guaranty, undertaking, bail, bond, deposit, gage, pawn, security, token, warranty

Related Entry: Lick (noun)

Lick is a different word from Promise. The synonyms below are for lick, not for promise.

  1. a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument

    "gave the ball a solid lick with the bat"

    similar: bang, bash, bat, beat, belt, biff, blow, bop, box, buffet, bust, chop, clap, clip, clout, crack, cuff, dab, douse (British), fillip, hack, haymaker, hit, hook, knock, larrup (dialect), lash, pelt, pick, plump, poke, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slug, smack, smash, sock, spank, stinger, stripe, stroke, swat, swipe, switch, thud, thump, thwack, wallop, welt, whack, wham, whop
    related: counter, counterblow, counterpunch, counterstroke, body blow, hand, kick, knee, left, one-two, rabbit punch, right, right-hander, roundhouse, shiver, sidewinder, sucker punch, swing, uppercut, cruncher, kayo, knockdown, knockout, KO, bastinado, battering, beating, bludgeoning, clobbering, cudgeling, drubbing, hammering, lambasting, licking, pasting, pounding, pummeling, thrashing, flogging, walloping, whip, whipping

  2. a very small amount

    "the soup needs just a lick more of salt"

    similar: ace, bit, crumb, dab, dram, driblet, glimmer, hint, little, mite, nip, ounce, particle, peanuts, ray, scintilla, scruple, shade, shadow, shred, skosh, smack, smell, smidgen, snap, soupçon, spark, spatter, speck, splash, spot, sprinkling, strain, streak, suspicion, tad, touch, trace, drop in the bucket
    related: hoot, iota, jot, minim, minimum, modicum, semblance, syllable, tittle, vestige, whit, atom, dot, fleck, flyspeck, grain, granule, molecule, morsel, mote, nubbin, patch, scrap, dash, drop, pinch, part, portion, section, bite, nibble, taste, handful, scattering, smatter, smattering, dose, shot, chip, flake, fragment, shard, shiver, sliver, smithereens, splinter, tatter, clipping, paring, shaving
    near: abundance, barrel, boatload, bucket, bundle, bushel, deal, fistful, gobs, heaps, lashings (chiefly British), loads, lot, mass, mess, mountain, much, oodles, passel, peck, pile, plenty, potful, profusion, quantity, raft, reams, scads, stack, wad, wealth, volume, bonanza, embarrassment, excess, overabundance, overage, overflow, overkill, overmuch, oversupply, superabundance, superfluity, surfeit, surplus, chunk, hunk, lump, slab

  3. the smallest amount or part imaginable

    "you haven't done a lick of work all day"

    similar: beans, bubkes, continental, damn, darn, diddly (slang), diddly-squat (slang), doodley-squat, fig, ghost, hoot, iota, jot, modicum, rap, squat (slang), syllable, tittle, whit, whoop
    related: ace, bit, crumb, dab, driblet, glimmer, hint, little, mite, nip, ounce, particle, peanuts, pin, ray, scrap, scruple, semblance, shade, shadow, shred, skosh, smidgen, snap, speck, spot, sprinkling, strain, streak, suspicion, touch, trace

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Promise

The most common words with a similar meaning to Promise:

covenant, pledge, swear, vow, augur, bode, forebode, give one's word, bid fair, oath, troth, word

Related Words for Promise

affiance, betroth, plight, accede, agree, assent, consent, contract, engage, ensure, guarantee, undertake, affirm, assert, aver, avouch, avow, declare, insist, warrant, forecast, foretell, predict, presage, prognosticate, prophesy, forewarn, warn, anticipate, divine

Word Forms of Promise

Inflections: promised, promising

Derived words: promisee (noun), promisor (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Promise

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: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Promise

Words & Phrases Containing Promise

promise (someone) the stars/moon/earth/world, breach of promise, lick and a promise, a lick and a promise, break one's promise, full of promise, go back on one's promise, hold/have promise

Frequently Asked Questions about Promise

What does "Promise" mean?

"Promise" means a declaration that one will do or refrain from doing something specified. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a declaration that one will do or refrain from doing something specified. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Promise"?

Other words for "Promise" include covenant, pledge, swear, vow, augur, bode, forebode and give one's word. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Promise" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Promise"?

There are 77 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Promise". Common alternatives include covenant, pledge, swear, vow, augur, bode, forebode, give one's word, bid fair and oath.

How do you use "Promise" in a sentence?

Examples of "Promise" in a sentence: "they promised to keep in touch with us after they moved away"; "given the cast, the new sitcom promises to be an excellent show"; "he made a promise to arrive on time, come hell or high water".

Is "Promise" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Promise" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Promise" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Promise" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Promise"?

"Promise" is pronounced /ˈprä-məs/ and divided into syllables as prom·ise.

What is the origin of the word "Promise"?

"Promise" comes from 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: 15th century.