Promise is a word with several related meanings. It can refer to a commitmentA serious promise to do something or keep an agreement., the act of making such a commitment, or something that suggestsShows or hints that something may be true or likely. a good future. It can also mean to indicate or predictSay that something will happen before it occurs. that something will happen.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈprɑːmɪs/
Easy pronunciation: PROM-iss (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress on the first syllable.
Noun meaning a verbal commitment or pledge.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Promise Meaning
a statement that you will do something or will not do something
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a verbal commitment by one person to another agreeing to do, or not do, something in the future
Example: She made a promise to call after the interview.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- assure — Only a loose match; usually means to tell someone confidently, not the promise itself.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Promise
Meaning 2
to commit yourself to doing something
Part of speech: verb
Definition: make a promise or commitment
Example: He promised to finish the report by Friday.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- assure — Can overlap in some uses, but it more often means to reassure someone than to make a commitment.
Meaning 3
to say you will do or provide something
Part of speech: verb
Definition: promise to undertake or give
Example: I promise you my best effort.
Meaning 4
to suggest that something good is likely to happen
Part of speech: verb
Definition: give grounds for expectations
Example: The new job promises exciting opportunities.
Meaning 5
something that suggests a good future or likely success
Part of speech: noun
Definition: grounds for feeling hopeful about the future
Example: The young player shows real promise.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- hope — Related in meaning, but not a direct substitute in many contexts.
Meaning 6
to predict or foretell something
Part of speech: verb
Definition: make a prediction about; tell in advance
Example: The dark clouds promised rain later in the day.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- anticipate — Too broad for ordinary use as a direct synonym.
- call — Can mean predict in some contexts, but is informal and not always interchangeable.
- forebode — Stronger and more literary than promise in this sense.
- foretell — A genuine synonym for the prediction sense.
- predict — A direct synonym for this sense.
- prognosticate — A formal or technical word for predict.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Promise Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- promise
noun: a commitment made to someone
- assure
verb: to commit yourself to doing something
- assure
noun: something that gives hope for the future
- hope
verb: to predict or foretell
- foretell
- predict
- prognosticate
- forebode
- call
- anticipate
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not mix up the noun promise meaning a commitment with the noun promise meaning signs of future success.
- Do not use promise as a synonym for predict unless the meaning is clearly about telling the future in advance.
- Do not confuse promise with promising, which is often used to describe something that looks likely to succeed.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the basic meaning of promise?
The most common meaning is a commitment: something you say you will do, or will not do, in the future.
Can promise be a verb?
Yes. As a verb, it means to say that you will do something, or to suggest that something is likely to happen.
Is promise the same as predict?
Only in one older or less common sense. In most everyday use, promise means a commitment or something hopeful, not a prediction.
What is a simple synonym for promise?
For the noun meaning, a close everyday synonym is commitment. For the verb meaning, a close everyday synonym is pledge, though it was not included in the supplied source data.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.