# pledge

/ˈpɫɛdʒ/ (US) · /plˈɛdʒ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pledge
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a solemn promise

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

a serious or formal promise to do something, like giving money to a charity.

For teachers: a solemn promise or undertaking to perform a specific action or provide support.

- The politician made a pledge to reduce taxes if his party won the election.
- The charitable foundation received a million-dollar pledge from an anonymous donor, ensuring the project's viability for the next decade.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'to' followed by an infinitive.

### 2. security for a debt

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical · Formal

something valuable that you give to a person or bank to prove you will pay them back.

For teachers: a bailment of personal property as security for some debt or engagement.

- He left his gold watch as a pledge that he would return to pay the bill.
- Under the terms of the agreement, the shares were held as a pledge against the short-term loan provided by the investment bank.

Usage: In legal contexts, it refers specifically to the physical possession of the asset by the creditor.

### 3. fraternity candidate

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Informal

a student who is trying to join a university social group but is not yet a full member.

For teachers: a person who has committed to joining a college fraternity or sorority but has not yet been initiated.

- The new pledges had to spend the weekend cleaning the fraternity house.
- During the recruitment week, each pledge was assigned a mentor to help them navigate the complex social traditions of the organization.

### 4. to formally promise

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to make a serious or formal promise to give or do something.

For teachers: to commit oneself by a solemn promise; to give as a guarantee.

- Many countries have pledged to protect the environment by reducing carbon emissions.
- The executive board pledged their full support to the restructuring plan, despite the initial concerns raised by the shareholders.

Usage: The verb is transitive and often takes a direct object or a 'to' infinitive.

### 5. to give as security

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical · Formal

to give something valuable to a lender as a guarantee that you will pay them back.

For teachers: to deposit an object or asset as security for a loan or the fulfilment of an obligation.

- The family had to pledge their property to secure the emergency loan.
- The borrower was required to pledge liquid assets of equivalent value before the credit facility could be extended.

## Examples

- The politician made a pledge to lower taxes.
- The university received a million-dollar pledge from a former student to build a new library.
- Despite the public pledge to reduce carbon emissions by half, the corporation continued to invest heavily in fossil fuel extraction projects across the globe.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.