pledge

1 of 2

noun

ˈplej How to pronounce pledge (audio)
Synonyms of pledgenext
1
a
: a bailment of a chattel as security for a debt or other obligation without involving transfer of title
b
: the chattel so delivered
c
: the contract incidental to such a bailment
2
a
: the state of being held as a security or guaranty
b
: something given as security for the performance of an act
3
: a token, sign, or earnest of something else
4
: a gage of battle
5
: toast sense 2a
6
a
: a binding promise or agreement to do or forbear
b(1)
: a promise to join a fraternity, sorority, or secret society
(2)
: a person who has so promised

pledge

2 of 2

verb

pledged; pledging

transitive verb

1
: to make a pledge of
especially : pawn
2
: to drink to the health of
3
: to bind by a pledge
4
: to promise the performance of by a pledge
pledger
ˈple-jər How to pronounce pledge (audio)
noun
or pledgor
ˈple-jər How to pronounce pledge (audio)
ple-ˈjȯr

Synonyms

Noun

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of pledge in a Sentence

Noun He has promised to fulfill a campaign pledge to cut taxes. To make a pledge or donation, please call the charity's office. The company has made a pledge of over $3,000.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The vast majority of severe crashes are preventable with changes to infrastructure, and the City Council made a Vision Zero pledge in 2017 to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2027. — Ariane Lange, Sacramento Bee, 17 Mar. 2025 Financial institutions including Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley backed the pledge last year. — Pippa Stevens,spencer Kimball, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2025
Verb
President Trump pledged to deport pro-Palestinian international students on the campaign trail and since taking office has used immigration enforcement as part of his crackdown on college protests. — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 19 Mar. 2025 The Context President Donald Trump has long pledged to declassify the remaining JFK files, which refers to a trove of thousands of government documents related to Kennedy's assassination in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. — Dan Perry, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pledge

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English plegge, plege "surety for a person, guarantor," borrowed from Anglo-French (also continental Old & Middle French plege, pleige), going back to early Medieval Latin plebium, plevium, plibium, noun derivative (with the Latin deverbal suffix -ium) of plebere "to give surety," probably blend of Latin praebeō, praebēre "to put forward, offer, provide" and an Old Low Franconian verb *plegan- cognate with Old Saxon plegan "to accept responsibility (for)," Middle Dutch pleghen "to look after," Old High German pflegan "to look (after), bear responsibility, vouch (for)" — more at plight entry 2

Note: The verb plebere, attested in the Lex Romana Curiensis (eighth century), was vernacularized as Old French/Anglo-French plevir "to give as surety, promise, swear," with conjugation change probably after garantir "to protect, warrant" (see warrant entry 2) and garir "to support, protect, cure" (see garrison entry 1); compare replevin entry 1.

Verb

Middle English pleggen "to promise, stand surety for," in part derivative of plegge, plege pledge entry 1; in part borrowed from Anglo-French pleger "to guarantee as surety, act as surety," derivative of plege pledge entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pledge was in the 15th century

Rhymes for pledge

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Browse Nearby Words

pledge
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Cite this Entry

“Pledge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pledge. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

pledge

1 of 2 noun
ˈplej How to pronounce pledge (audio)
1
: the handing over of something to another to assure that the giver will keep his or her promise
also : the thing handed over
2
: the state of being held as a security
given in pledge
3
: something that is a token or sign of something else
the ring is a pledge of love
4
: toast entry 2 sense 3
5
: a promise or agreement that must be kept

pledge

2 of 2 verb
pledged; pledging
1
: to give as a pledge
2
: to drink to the health of : toast entry 3
3
: to obligate by a pledge
pledged myself to give $50
4
: to promise by a pledge
pledge money to charity

Legal Definition

pledge

1 of 2 noun
ˈplej How to pronounce pledge (audio)
1
: a delivery of especially personal property as security for a debt or other obligation
broadly : the perfection of a security interest in collateral through possession of the collateral by a creditor or other promisee
2
a
: property and especially personal property that is used as security especially upon delivery
broadly : a security interest in collateral compare chattel mortgage at mortgage
b
: a contract under which the delivery of property (as personal property) as security takes place
3
a
: the state of being held as security or guaranty
property held in pledge
b
: something given as security for the performance of an act
4
: a binding promise to do or forbear

pledge

2 of 2 transitive verb
pledged; pledging
1
: to deliver or otherwise put forward as security for a debt or other obligation
pledged his car as collateral for the loan
2
: to bind by a pledge
we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor— Declaration of Independence
3
: to assure or promise the performance or payment of
pledgor
ˈple-jər, ple-ˈjȯr How to pronounce pledge (audio)
noun
or pledger
ˈple-jər How to pronounce pledge (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on pledge

Nglish: Translation of pledge for Spanish Speakers

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