pact
An agreement between people, groups, or countries to do something or not do something, often serious or written down.
A formal or serious agreement between two or more people, groups, or countries to do something or to keep a promise, often written or officially recognized.
- Base: pact
- Plural: pacts
Faustian pact
1deal sacrificing morals for gain
A very bad kind of agreement where a person gives up their morals or future good life in order to get power, money, or success now.
- Many saw the politician’s support from shady donors as a Faustian pact.
- The film is about a scientist who makes a Faustian pact for fame.
make a pact
1form an agreement together
To agree together on a promise or plan, often in a serious way.
- We made a pact to call our parents every week after we moved out.
- The sisters made a pact never to lie to each other again.
non-aggression pact
1agreement not to attack
A formal agreement, usually between countries, that they will not attack each other.
- The two neighbors signed a non-aggression pact to ease tensions at the border.
- The non-aggression pact collapsed when one country invaded the other.
pact of silence
1agreement not to speak
An agreement between people that they will not talk about something.
- The employees seemed to have a pact of silence about what happened that night.
- There was an unspoken pact of silence in the village over the scandal.
pact with the devil
1deal trading benefit for harm
An agreement where someone gets something they strongly want, but only by accepting something very wrong or very harmful in the future.
- Some critics said the company had made a pact with the devil by partnering with the corrupt regime.
- He knew taking money from them was like signing a pact with the devil.
peace pact
1agreement to stop fighting
An official agreement between groups or countries to end fighting and stay peaceful.
- The rebels and the government finally reached a peace pact.
- After months of talks, a peace pact was signed in the capital.
sign a pact
1formally approve an agreement
To officially agree to a pact by writing your name on a document.
- The two nations signed a pact to reduce carbon emissions.
- Several companies signed a pact promising fair working conditions.
suicide pact
1agreement to die together
An agreement between two or more people that they will kill themselves, usually at the same time or for the same reason.
- The police suspect the couple had a suicide pact.
- The tragic story involved a suicide pact among three close friends.