ENGLISH
REFERENCE

vowed

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈvaʊd// UK //vˈaʊd// vowed

v. made a serious and formal promise to do something. You use this when someone is very determined to reach a goal or change their behavior.

v. past tense and past participle of 'vow'; refers to having made a solemn or formal promise. Often used to describe a firm commitment to a future course of action.


SIMPLE

She vowed to study harder after failing the test.

CONTEXTUAL

After the factory closed, the local mayor vowed to bring new jobs back to the community within two years.

COMPLEX

Having witnessed the devastating effects of the drought firsthand, the scientist vowed to dedicate her remaining career to developing more resilient crop varieties for the region.

Synonyms
Usage

Often followed by a 'to' infinitive or a 'that' clause.

Pitfall

He vowed for helping them.He vowed to help them.The verb 'vow' is followed by a 'to' infinitive, not the preposition 'for' with a gerund.

© 2026 English Reference