Meaning & use
made a solemn promise
Last updated
“made a solemn promise” is a form of “make a solemn promise”.
Meaning
phraseidiomformal
To promise something in a very serious and sincere way, often formally or with strong emotion.
Grammar: Used as a complete verb phrase; the object is the promise itself, often followed by 'to' + infinitive or 'that' + clause: made a solemn promise to help.
Patterns
- make a solemn promise to someone
- make a solemn promise to do something
- make a solemn promise that ...
Before leaving for the war, he made a solemn promise to his mother that he would return safely.
The company made a solemn promise to protect its customers' data, but then it sold that information to advertisers.
She made a solemn promise to her dying father that she would look after her younger brother.
Word forms
| third person singular | makes a solemn promise |
|---|---|
| past tense | made a solemn promise |
| past participle | made a solemn promise |
| -ing form | making a solemn promise |
Common combinations
- make a solemn promise to someone
- He made a solemn promise to his wife that he would never lie to her again.
- make a solemn promise to do something
- The government made a solemn promise to reduce carbon emissions by 2030.
- make a solemn promise that ...
- She made a solemn promise that she would keep the secret forever.
- a solemn promise
- A solemn promise is not something to be broken lightly.
Synonyms and how they differ
- swear
- Stronger and more direct; you swear an oath or swear to do something, often in a legal or religious setting. 'Swear' can also mean to use offensive language, which 'make a solemn promise' does not.
- vow
- More formal and literary; a vow is a very serious promise, often made to God or in a ceremony. You 'take a vow' rather than 'make a vow', but the meaning is close.
- pledge
- Often used in public or official contexts, such as pledging money or support. A pledge can be less emotional than a solemn promise.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: made a solemn promise or make a promise?
made a solemn promise vs make a promise
This is the general phrase for any promise, serious or not. 'Make a solemn promise' adds the idea of deep sincerity and often a formal or emotional tone.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The correct pattern is 'make a solemn promise to do something' with the infinitive after 'to'. Option 0 uses 'to keeping' (wrong form), option 1 uses 'did' instead of 'made' (collocation error), and option 3 omits 'to' before the verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “made a solemn promise”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.