Meaning & use
engagement ring
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A ring given by one person to another to show that they have agreed to marry.
Grammar: Countable; often used with a possessive: her engagement ring.
Patterns
- give someone an engagement ring
- wear an engagement ring
- an engagement ring on her finger
He gave her a beautiful engagement ring with a diamond.
She proudly wore her engagement ring at the party.
Word forms
| plural | engagement rings |
|---|
Common combinations
- diamond engagement ring
- The diamond engagement ring sparkled in the light.
- give an engagement ring
- Traditionally, the man gives an engagement ring to the woman.
- engagement ring finger
- In many cultures, the engagement ring is worn on the ring finger of the left hand.
- buy an engagement ring
- He spent months saving to buy an engagement ring.
Synonyms and how they differ
- betrothal ring
- A more formal or old-fashioned term for an engagement ring.
Word family
- engagement noun
- An agreement to marry someone.
- engage verb
- To arrange to marry someone (often in passive: they are engaged).
- fiancé noun
- The man to whom someone is engaged.
- fiancée noun
- The woman to whom someone is engaged.
Commonly confused: engagement ring or wedding ring?
engagement ring vs wedding ring
A wedding ring is exchanged during the marriage ceremony, while an engagement ring is given when proposing marriage.
Practice
When do people usually give an engagement ring?
Choose one answer.
An engagement ring is given when proposing marriage or agreeing to marry. A wedding ring is exchanged during the wedding ceremony, so that is not correct for an engagement ring.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “engagement ring”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.