Promise
n.hopeful, resilientwarm
Meaning 1
A commitment that gives another person reason to rely on a future action.
Reach for it when naming a clear assurance whose value depends on follow-through
Keeping the small promise helped rebuild trust after the missed visit.
Choose between these
5- everyday
word
when personal reliability makes a simple assurance meaningful
not when The idiom needs context and lacks the formality of a legal obligation.
- professional
when confidence is given about an outcome
not when An assurance may report belief rather than bind the speaker to act.
- professional
when responsibility to act is the central idea
not when A commitment can be private or institutional without being spoken as a promise.
- formal
pledge
when a solemn or public commitment is made
not when Pledge is stronger and can imply ceremony, money, or allegiance.
- literary
vow
when the commitment is solemn and deeply personal
not when Vow is excessive for an ordinary practical undertaking.
Meaning 2
Signs of likely future ability, value, or success.
Reach for it when recognizing encouraging early evidence without guaranteeing the outcome
The first field trial showed promise under difficult conditions.
Choose between these
4- everyday
early promise
when the developmental stage should stay explicit
not when The phrase repeats the headword and is not a substitute where brevity matters.
- warm
when a favorable future remains possible
not when Hope can rest on desire alone, while promise suggests evidence.
- professional
when latent capacity could develop
not when Potential can exist without the encouraging evidence implied by promise.
- formal
prospect
when a favorable future outcome is contemplated
not when A prospect can come from circumstances rather than inherent ability.
Said against
5- betrayal
- breach
- hopelessness
- renunciation
- warning
It naturally appears in
5- keep a promise
She rearranged the route to keep a promise made to isolated residents.
- show promise
The low-cost sensor continued to show promise after the first winter.
- promise of
The reopened workshop carried the promise of regular apprenticeships.
- promise to
Her promise to publish the results included a specific date.
- full of promise
The first rehearsal was full of promise despite the unfinished ending.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English noun sense: an assurance that something will be done opens in a new tab for meaning 1 · retrieved 2026-07-26
- wiktionary, English noun sense: indication of future excellence or success opens in a new tab for meaning 2 · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.