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
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
pledged; pledging
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
Synonyms
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.
He left his car as a pledge that he would return with the money.
Verb
Her family pledged $100,000 toward the construction of a new school.
He called to pledge money to the charity.
Every morning, we pledge allegiance to the flag.
teenagers who have pledged not to start smoking
During his campaign, he pledged that he would not raise taxes.
The chefs are pledged to keep the restaurant's special recipe a secret.
He pledged his paintings as collateral for a loan.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024
And the Royals look to be making good on their pledge to be more competitive in the American League Central.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2024
The report was partially funded by the UN Peace and Development Trust Fund, which, in turn, was initially established by a $200 million Chinese pledge.
—Elizabeth Economy, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
The pledge to die for China would take precedence over any personal relationships that might develop.
—Susan Tate Ankeny, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Apr. 2024
How many trees have been planted since the 2021 pledge?
—Jessie Opoien, Journal Sentinel, 22 Apr. 2024
Tesla is also under pressure to deliver on its previous pledge to roll out a more affordable EV, dubbed the Model 2, amid reports the project is delayed.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2024
Against this backdrop, governments and several tech companies are taking some steps to mitigate risks—European lawmakers just approved a watershed law, and as recently as February tech companies signed a pledge at the Munich Security Conference.
—Mekela Panditharatne, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024
Leaving the group: The study comes at a time when some large banks are pulling out of high-commitment climate pledges and Republican backlash grows against investing strategies that evaluate stocks using environmental, social and governance factors.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
Bloomberg, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2024
Forward Billy Richmond has pledged to Arkansas coach John Calipari.
—Richard Davenport, arkansasonline.com, 26 Apr. 2024
Pope and his staff reportedly flew to Las Vegas on Friday morning, met with the family and the 6-foot-2 point guard had pledged his allegiance by early afternoon.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2024
The Biden administration pledged to cut its carbon pollution in half from 2005 levels by the end of the decade under that agreement.
—Justine Calma, The Verge, 25 Apr. 2024
At the dawn of America’s Cold War after World War II, Puerto Rico was put in a glass case to display the wonders of U.S. capitalism to nations across the globe that were pushed to pledge allegiance to either the Soviet Union or the United States.
—TIME, 25 Apr. 2024
The governor pledged to crack down on street crime and dispatched dozens of California Highway Patrol officers to bolster Bay Area policing.
—Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024
Price, a former civil rights and defense attorney, was elected Alameda County D.A. in 2022 after pledging to reform the criminal justice system and hold police accountable.
—Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2024
In 2023, the county commission pledged $200,000 to fund PACT’s proposal.
—Alyssa Johnson, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2024
Noun
In 2020, following the weeks-long, often public, confrontation between Black employees and the company’s top leadership team, Adidas made several pledges to repair ties and rebuild its diversity efforts.
—Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024
And the Royals look to be making good on their pledge to be more competitive in the American League Central.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2024
The report was partially funded by the UN Peace and Development Trust Fund, which, in turn, was initially established by a $200 million Chinese pledge.
—Elizabeth Economy, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
The pledge to die for China would take precedence over any personal relationships that might develop.
—Susan Tate Ankeny, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Apr. 2024
How many trees have been planted since the 2021 pledge?
—Jessie Opoien, Journal Sentinel, 22 Apr. 2024
Tesla is also under pressure to deliver on its previous pledge to roll out a more affordable EV, dubbed the Model 2, amid reports the project is delayed.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2024
Against this backdrop, governments and several tech companies are taking some steps to mitigate risks—European lawmakers just approved a watershed law, and as recently as February tech companies signed a pledge at the Munich Security Conference.
—Mekela Panditharatne, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024
Leaving the group: The study comes at a time when some large banks are pulling out of high-commitment climate pledges and Republican backlash grows against investing strategies that evaluate stocks using environmental, social and governance factors.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
Verb
Investors overlooked dismal earnings last week as the company pledged to launch lower-cost EVs as soon as late this year.
—Bloomberg, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2024
Forward Billy Richmond has pledged to Arkansas coach John Calipari.
—Richard Davenport, arkansasonline.com, 26 Apr. 2024
Pope and his staff reportedly flew to Las Vegas on Friday morning, met with the family and the 6-foot-2 point guard had pledged his allegiance by early afternoon.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2024
The Biden administration pledged to cut its carbon pollution in half from 2005 levels by the end of the decade under that agreement.
—Justine Calma, The Verge, 25 Apr. 2024
At the dawn of America’s Cold War after World War II, Puerto Rico was put in a glass case to display the wonders of U.S. capitalism to nations across the globe that were pushed to pledge allegiance to either the Soviet Union or the United States.
—TIME, 25 Apr. 2024
The governor pledged to crack down on street crime and dispatched dozens of California Highway Patrol officers to bolster Bay Area policing.
—Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024
Price, a former civil rights and defense attorney, was elected Alameda County D.A. in 2022 after pledging to reform the criminal justice system and hold police accountable.
—Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2024
In 2023, the county commission pledged $200,000 to fund PACT’s proposal.
—Alyssa Johnson, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pledge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pledge
Cite this Entry
“Pledge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pledge. Accessed 1 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pledge
1 of 2 noun1
: 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
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 noun1
: 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
Declaration of Independence3
: to assure or promise the performance or payment of
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