pledging

verb

present participle of pledge
1
as in committing
to obligate by prior agreement I would love to go to dinner with you, but I've pledged myself to a play with my parents that night

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pawning
to leave as a guarantee of repayment of a loan pledged their house against the loan

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vowing
to make a solemn declaration of intent I pledge that I will abide by all of the rules of this organization

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pledging Advertisement No end to the season could have been more apt than Joanne and Noah pledging their eternal love while, in a gorgeous beachfront rental just steps away, their parents and siblings tear each other apart. — Judy Berman, Time, 22 Oct. 2026 Council voted 11-3 to endorse the boycott of the popular coffee chain Starbucks, pledging not to buy any of its products until the company finalizes a fair contract with its unionized baristas. — Shaddi Abusaid, AJC.com, 21 Oct. 2026 That distinction matters as AIPAC support has become a liability in some Democratic primaries amid the war in Gaza, with candidates attacking rivals for accepting its support and some lawmakers pledging to reject money tied to the group. — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026 Despite pledging to participate in multiple debates, Becerra brushed aside several invitations, agreeing to just a solitary one-hour face-off against Hilton on CNN in late September. — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 Elon Musk and officials at AI giant Anthropic are pledging to give coveted shares in their companies to the general public as concerns about AI’s economic and societal impact continue to pile up. — Rob Wile, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026 Crowley this month launched an ad accusing Tiffany of pledging his loyalty to Trump and his billionaire backers. — ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026 The offer is part of a $20 million community investment Digital Realty is pledging in De Soto as the company paves the way for a 280-acre data center site. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026 SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell is among the first to use the option, pledging one share each to more than 2 million children’s accounts. — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pledging
  1. committing
  2. pawning
  3. vowing
  4. depositing
  5. promising
  6. swearing
Verb
  • In Bellés’s estimation, everyone involved with the film immersed themselves in the details, committing to whatever their role was with something like abandon.
    — Elaina Patton, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Founder Philip Manghisi tested the market through seasonal pop-ups before committing to a permanent location, citing Park City’s affluent customer base and limited luxury retail competition.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of committing
Verb
  • Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, drained the actress emotionally and financially, even pawning some of her possessions and keeping others in a storage unit, her estranged mom Lesley Vogel claims.
    — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • When interviewed by police in May, Weckesser allegedly admitted to stealing the ring from the home and re-shaping it before pawning it off.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
Definition of pawning
Verb
  • The dispute unfolds as North Korea fortifies the already heavily armed frontier and both sides trade accusations, with diplomacy stalled and Seoul’s military vowing a firm response.
    — Kim Tong-Hyung, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
  • As the kid grew up in Los Angeles, shining shoes, selling newspapers, and vowing, unlike the rest of his family, to get an education, one impulse drove him on.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of vowing
Verb
  • But the tireless churn of his storytelling, picking up and depositing little clues of what came before, is the mark of an auteur who has barely scratched the surface of his prowess.
    — Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Beaches typically go through a seasonal cycle with powerful winter waves dragging sand out to sea and more mild summer waves depositing the sand back onshore.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of depositing
Verb
  • Reynolds understood how to sell the new pen, too, with advertisements promising an avant-garde writing utensil, capable of enduring long stretches of writing with no need to replenish the ink.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Péter Magyar’s government is pursuing Orbán-era officials and alleged misuse of public funds, while promising that investigations will follow the rule of law.
    — Justin Spike, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of promising
Verb
  • His swearing-in ceremony was conducted in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
    — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The league on Monday suspended line judge Jeff Seeman for two games for swearing at Arizona’s Trey McBride and referee Adrian Hill for one game for yelling and gesturing at Minnesota’s Eric Wilson.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of swearing

Browse Nearby Words

pledges
pledging
plenary
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Cite this Entry

“Pledging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pledging. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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