pact
Americannoun
-
an agreement, covenant, or compact.
We made a pact not to argue any more.
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an agreement or treaty between two or more nations.
a pact between Germany and Italy.
noun
Etymology
Origin of pact
1400–50; late Middle English pact(e) < Middle French < Latin pactum, noun use of neuter of past participle of pacīscī to make a bargain, contract
Explanation
A pact is a treaty or other agreement between parties, and it's usually written. Countries can have pacts or you can make a pact with your friends, promising each other that you'll all show up for the spelling bee. A pact is a formal agreement. The 1955 Warsaw Pact, for instance, was Eastern Europe's answer to NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization), with communist countries pledging mutual aid in case of foreign aggression. You may also come across the word compact, which is pretty much the same as a pact. The word pact comes from the Latin pactum, meaning "something agreed upon." In Roman times, one kind of pact was the marriage pact you signed when you got married.
Vocabulary lists containing pact
Inside Out & Back Again
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Prisoner B-3087
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He said the original pact included an agreement intended to protect about 180 movable pieces of art and artifacts from removal, but that “there’s shades of gray here.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026
The two leaders also noted that this year marks the 65th anniversary of China and North Korea's defence pact - the only one China has with any country.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Canadian retaliatory measures are a major hurdle for renewed trade pact talks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
Similarly, Ian Stanton, head of sustainability at Beggars Group, was among the first to sign the pact in 2021.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026
He launched a campaign against the king of Armenia, who had snubbed the marriage pact between their children.
From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
