# pact

/ˈpækt/ (US) · /pˈækt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pact
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. formal agreement

noun · CEFR B2

a serious or formal agreement between two or more people or groups.

For teachers: a formal agreement, covenant, or compact between individuals or groups, often carrying a sense of solemnity or binding obligation.

- The two friends made a pact to never let money come between them.
- The rival factions signed a non-aggression pact, promising to cease all hostilities while the diplomatic negotiations were ongoing.

### 2. international alliance

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

an agreement between different countries to work together, especially for protection.

For teachers: a formal alliance or coalition between nations, typically established for mutual defence or political cooperation.

- Several nations joined the trade pact to make buying and selling goods easier.
- The regional security pact required all member states to contribute troops in the event of an unprovoked attack on any signatory nation.

## Examples

- The two nations signed a peace pact to end the war.
- The rival companies made a secret pact to stop undercutting each other's prices in the local market.
- Historians argue that the non-aggression pact was merely a strategic delay, allowing both empires to fortify their borders before the inevitable outbreak of hostilities.

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