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
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Recent Examples of pledging
At least 1,000 people must sign a petition pledging to purchase an organization's specialty plate if it's approved, according to the BMV, which can terminate a plate after three years if enough people don't buy it annually.
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John Tufts, IndyStar, 8 Jan. 2026
To ensure both employees and customers are equipped to use the latest advanced technologies, Caterpillar is pledging $25 million over five years to launch a global innovation prize.
—Caterpillar Inc, Dallas Morning News, 8 Jan. 2026
Most European governments spent yesterday pledging to actively monitor the situation.
—Richard Fontaine, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026
For instance, energy-rich Saudi Arabia is striving to become the third largest AI market in the world, while leading players in France and Israel are pledging to lead in specialized AI applications.
—Boris Babic, Fortune, 3 Jan. 2026
In her first speech as mayor, Wilson emphasized that Seattle belongs to all of its residents, pledging to uphold that principle every day during her administration.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 3 Jan. 2026
Ornate waves of graffiti remain, amended with fast four-letter scrawls of resistance, and placards pledging neighborhood unity are just now starting to peel away from windows.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 1 Jan. 2026
Lenders to both First Brands and Tricolor had failed to discover the borrowers were allegedly double-pledging assets and co-mingling collateral that backed various loans.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
DoorDash is also pledging to donate food to local food banks from DashMart, an app feature that provides fresh groceries and basic household needs.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pledging
Verb
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The three suspects were booked into juvenile hall for assault with a firearm, participating in a criminal street gang, gang enhancement and unlawful assembly for the purpose of committing a violent act.—
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Marion outrebounded West Memphis 24-17 and forced 17 turnovers while committing just 8 of its own.—
Verb
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District Attorney Summer Stephan issued a statement disagreeing with the decision and vowing to fight.—
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And even with the Bears collectively vowing to rapidly turn the page, that task may now be the equivalent of flipping over a 150-pound stone tablet.—
Verb
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To keep your color icy and cool, Nicole suggests using DP Hue’s color-depositing conditioner.—
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The Auburn team solved this problem by depositing their materials directly onto solid surfaces, which improved both stability and scalability.—
Verb
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Suamataia’s performance was promising enough that Kansas City moved Thuney to the Chicago Bears in March.—
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Those vulnerabilities allow predators an opportunity to gain the trust of victims of any age by promising to meet those needs or to provide safety, housing or affection.—
Verb
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During an hours-long standoff, Mateen dialed 911 and a local news station, swearing allegiance to ISIS in both calls.—
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How To Travel Instead Breaking up with the social-media-first mindset doesn’t mean swearing off your phone entirely.—
Cite this Entry
“Pledging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pledging. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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