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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 City leaders reacted immediately, saying the revelations about the department’s culture were unacceptable and pledging to swiftly investigate and root out the systemic racism. — Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2026 During his 2024 Senate campaign, Rogers signed Independent Women’s Voice’s Stand With Women Commitment, pledging to support legislation preserving female opportunities and private spaces. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026 Micron Technology, which operates an engineering and office facility in Folsom, is pledging $250 million in one-time $250 deposits to Trump Accounts for eligible children under 18 in Sacramento County and other regions where the company has offices. — Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026 Eight months after pledging to attract more talent and capital to South Florida by luring world-class companies and universities to the region, two of the area’s wealthiest billionaires are putting that promise into action. — Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026 While in office, Lai has stepped up spending on defense for Taiwan, notably pledging to increase defense spending from 3% to 5% of the GDP, and pushing through a special budget for the construction of a T-Dome air defense system. — ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026 Llerandi, Saiti and Bautista all support a slate of progressive, anti-establishment Democratic candidates in Michigan who are pledging to shake up the status quo. — Jacqueline Ganun, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026 Llerandi, Saiti and Bautista all support a slate of progressive, antiestablishment Democratic candidates in Michigan who are pledging to shake up the status quo. — Jacqueline Ganun, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2026 Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Vietnamese President To Lam met in Canberra last month, pledging to deepen their partnership on issues like defense and trade. — Shibani Mahtani, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pledging
  1. committing
  2. pawning
  3. vowing
  4. depositing
  5. promising
  6. swearing
Verb
  • Meanwhile, rental services such as Rent the Runway and Nuuly are seen as a cost-effective bridge option for consumers who are changing sizes every few months without committing to new retail purchases.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Porter's value grows by the game with the rest of the defensive backs mostly unable to break up passes without committing penalties.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 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
  • Seminole’s rural boundary is a hot political topic, with nearly every candidate running for office in Seminole this election year vowing to protect the area mostly east of the Econlockhatchee River and covering about one third of the county.
    — Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The future for national cinema is bleak under a potential Flávio Bolsonaro presidency, with the candidate vowing to mimic virtually all of his father’s policies—and tighten some even further.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of vowing
Verb
  • After her death, Ettie executed Florine’s estate, depositing her paintings in major collections and organizing exhibitions.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
  • To pay for this labor, inmates claim that individuals outside of prison are depositing thousands of dollars into the commissary accounts of those serving the rapper.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of depositing
Verb
  • Korean star Han Ji-min accepted The Hollywood Reporter’s Trailblazer Award at a glitzy gala high above Busan on Wednesday night, promising that her creative journey was only just beginning.
    — Mathew Scott, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Anura Kumara Dissanayake became president on an anti-corruption platform in 2024 promising to take action against anyone suspected of corruption in the Rajapaksa family and previous administrations.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of promising
Verb
  • 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
  • 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.
    — CBS News, CBS 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 14 Oct. 2026.

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