promise
gb/pɹˈɑməs/ us/pɹˈɑməs/
A2
English
~ 2500
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Say you will do something
To say you will surely do or give something in the future.
Usage pattern:
to promise [someone] [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'promise' with 'hope'; 'hope' expresses desire, but 'promise' expresses commitment.
Synonyms
pledge (More formal and serious than 'promise', often used in official contexts.)
Antonyms
break (To fail to do what you said you would do.)
Collocations
promise faithfully
|promise to help
|promise someone something
|keep a promise
Themes
communication
|relationships
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I promise I'll call you when I arrive.
- She promised to finish the report by Friday.
- They promised him a promotion if he met his targets.
- He promised his parents he would study harder.
Learner examples
- I promise to help you.
- She promised to come to my party.
- They promised me a new bike.
- He promised to call me tomorrow.
Noun
A2
entity
2
A statement of commitment
Words that say someone will surely do or give something later.
Usage pattern:
make/keep/break a promise
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'promise' without an article when it needs one, e.g., 'I made promise' instead of 'I made a promise'.
Synonyms
commitment (Implies a strong moral or formal obligation, not just words.)
Antonyms
lie (In this context, a false statement with no intention of fulfilling it.)
Collocations
make a promise
|keep a promise
|break a promise
|empty promise
Themes
communication
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He made a promise to help her move house.
- It was a promise she intended to keep.
- Breaking a promise can damage trust.
- The politician's promises were met with skepticism.
Learner examples
- I made a promise to my friend.
- She kept her promise to visit me.
- He broke his promise.
- We must keep our promises.
Noun
B1
property
3
Potential for success
A sign that someone or something may be good or successful later.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this sense with the 'commitment' meaning; here it refers to potential, not a guarantee.
Synonyms
potential ('Potential' is more general and can refer to any capability, not just positive signs.)
Antonyms
hopelessness (The state of having no chance for improvement or success.)
Collocations
show promise
|full of promise
|hold promise
Themes
career
|education
|personal development
|business
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The young athlete shows great promise.
- This new technology holds promise for cancer treatment.
- Her early work was full of promise.
Learner examples
- He shows promise as a writer.
- This idea has promise.
- She is full of promise.
- The project holds much promise.
Grammar
Dictionary form
promise
IPA
GB/pɹˈɑməs/
US/pɹˈɑməs/
Syllables & stress
prom - ise (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (prom)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: promise
- Plural: promise, promises
Verb
- Base: promise
- 3rd Person Singular: promises
- Present Participle: promising
- Past: promised
Word family
Forms
promises
noun
promising
verb
promised
verb
Related words
promisingly
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
unpromising
adjective C1
Advanced or less common
promissory
adjective
Expressions
break a promise
1/bɹˈeɪk ə pɹˈɑməs/
fixed phrase
Fail to do what you promised
To not do what you said you would do before.
Examples
- He broke his promise and didn't show up.
- Breaking a promise can hurt someone's feelings.
empty promise
1/ˈɛmpti pɹˈɑməs/
fixed phrase
Promise with no intention to keep it
A promise that someone will not really keep.
Examples
- Many voters felt the campaign pledges were empty promises.
- He made empty promises just to keep her happy.
keep a promise
1/kˈip ə pɹˈɑməs/
fixed phrase
Do what you promised
To do what you said you would do before.
Examples
- She always keeps her promises, no matter how difficult it is.
- Keeping a promise builds trust between people.
show promise
1/ʃˈoʊ pɹˈɑməs/
fixed phrase
Display signs of potential success
To seem like you will be good or successful later.
Examples
- The new software shows promise in early tests.
- She shows great promise as a pianist.