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promise

promise

283 2.7
A sign that something good may happen in the future
  • noun
  • /ˈprɑːmɪs/
translation icon : potencial
  • The future is bright with promise because you're in it.
  • hold promise
  • show promise
  • offer promise

It never fulfilled the promise that Woods had for it.

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Examples

  • School mental health services offer the promise of support, yet this promise is inconsistently realized.

    Academic text (2011)
  • They have hopes and dreams... and the promise of a life with dignity.

  • And she had so much promise when she came into Congress.

  • The night is young and full of promise, my boy.

  • It's a little behind, yes, but it shows great promise.

  • But the promise of tomorrow hung in the air.

  • The scaffolding and peer mentoring technique, however, ultimately showed more promise in developing students' critical thinking skills.

    Academic text (2015)
  • VSS is a community-based intervention that showed promise in increasing participating girls' PA levels over time.

    Academic text (2013)
  • A curriculum that demonstrates promise has an initial evidentiary base suggesting that it improves student achievement.

    Academic text (2015)
  • The night is young and full of promise, my boy.

Synonyms

hope
vspromise
1.0

Someone or something that makes you expect something good

is an external sign that creates that feeling by suggesting likely success
expectation
vspromise
633 2.8

A belief that something will happen in the future

is an external sign that gives reason to hold that belief
prospect
vspromise
425 3.3

A chance that something will happen in the future

is an indicator that suggests that such a chance exists

Antonyms

223 1.7

A feeling of sadness or being let down when something you wanted does not happen

Idioms

1 6.8

Tell someone you will do something very big although you cannot do it

A quick, not complete job done hastily and meant to be finished properly later

Compounds

10 3.8

A promise someone makes without any plan to keep it

1 9.5

Failing to keep a promise to marry someone that can lead to a court case

Nice words that make you expect something that probably will not happen

How Promising

promise
283 2.7
assurance
16 3.5
indication
382 3.9
sign
3.2
hint
153 1.5

Surface Forms

promise singular
promises plural

Etymology

The word promise comes from Latin pro- 'forward' and mittere 'to send', and it can mean a sign sent ahead. That's why we say someone or something 'shows promise' when it gives a sign that something good or successful may come.