# swore

/ˈswɔɹ/ (US) · /swˈɔː/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. promised seriously

verb · CEFR B1

the past tense of 'swear' when you made a very serious promise.

For teachers: the simple past form of 'swear' in the sense of making a solemn or formal oath.

- He swore that he would never tell anyone my secret.
- The witness swore an oath before the court, promising that her testimony would be entirely truthful and accurate.

### 2. used bad language

verb · CEFR A2

the past tense of 'swear' when you used rude or offensive words.

For teachers: the simple past form of 'swear' in the sense of using profane, obscene, or offensive language.

- She swore loudly when she accidentally dropped the heavy box on her foot.
- The player swore at the referee after the controversial decision, resulting in an immediate yellow card for unsporting conduct.

### 3. past participle form

verb · CEFR C1 · Dialect · Informal

a form of 'swear' used in some local styles of English instead of 'sworn'.

For teachers: a dialectal or colloquial past participle variant of 'swear', used in place of the standard 'sworn'.

- He had swore he'd be there, but he never showed up.
- In certain regional dialects, you might hear speakers say they have 'swore' an oath, though 'sworn' remains the requirement for formal writing.

## Examples

- He swore he would never lie again.
- She swore an oath to protect the secret of the old family business.
- The witness swore under penalty of perjury that he had seen the defendant leave the building before midnight.

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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.