vow
verb · noun
Simple meaning
A solemn pledge to do something or to behave in a certain way.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
vowIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈvaʊ
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
ambitransitive
To make a vow; to promise.
“He vowed never to drink alcohol again.”
transitive
To make a vow regarding (something).
ambitransitive
Dedicate to a deity by a vow
To declare publicly that one has made a vow, usually to show one's determination or to announce an act of retaliation.
noun
A solemn pledge (to oneself or to another or to a deity) to do something or to behave in a certain manner
A solemn promise to perform some act, or behave in a specified manner, especially a promise to live and act in accordance with the rules of a religious order.
A declaration or assertion.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C1 · Advanced (estimated)
- Frequency
- Uncommon
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
More ways to use vow
- “He vowed never to drink alcohol again.”verb
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Common Patterns and Combinations
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More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: solemn pledge (to oneself or to another
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.