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Promise Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
Promise Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
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Est. 1828
Dictionary
Definition
noun
verb
noun
2
noun
verb
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promise
1 of 2
noun
prom·ise
ˈprä-məs
Synonyms of promise
1
a
: a declaration that one will do or refrain from doing something specified
b
: a legally binding declaration that gives the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act
2
: reason to expect something
little promise of relief
especially
: ground for expectation of success, improvement, or excellence
shows considerable promise
3
: something that is promised
promise
2 of 2
verb
promised; promising
transitive verb
1
: to pledge to do, bring about, or provide
promise aid
2
archaic
: warrant, assure
3
chiefly dialectal
: betroth
4
: to suggest beforehand : give promise of
dark clouds promise rain
intransitive verb
1
: to make a promise
2
: to give ground for expectation : be imminent
promisee
ˌprä-mə-ˈsē
noun
promisor
ˌprä-mə-ˈsȯr
noun
or less commonly promiser
ˈprä-mə-sər
Synonyms
Noun
oath
pledge
troth
vow
word
Verb
covenant
pledge
swear
vow
See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Examples of promise in a Sentence
Noun
She gave me her promise.
She never made a promise that she didn't intend to keep.
There is little promise of relief in the forecast.
They were attracted by the promise of success.
a sunny morning that gives every promise of a fine day
There is a promise of better days ahead.
Verb
Promise me that you won't tell anyone.
I can't promise you that I'll be able to go, but I'll do my best.
The governor promised that the prisoners would receive a fair trial.
She promised to announce the results tomorrow.
International organizations have promised aid.
I promise to be careful.
You always promise, but you never do what you say you will.
“I won't tell anyone.” “Promise?” “Yes, I promise.”
Those gray skies promise rain.
See More
Recent Examples on the WebNoun
Harness the promise of A.I. and protect us from its peril.
—USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024
But the promise of amyloid-targeting drugs remains divisive within the field.
—David Ovalle, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024
All four players arrived to great fanfare but have largely been disappointing, though Mara has shown some promise on offense in recent weeks.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024
The promise of a new season gives us the perfect excuse for a wardrobe overhaul — which means saying goodbye to puffy coats and sweaters in favor of light, airy blouses.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024
Ophelia’s narrative begins with the blossoming of a secret romance with Hamlet, filled with promise and youthful passion.
—David Catlin, The Enquirer, 6 Mar. 2024
In the March 1987 issue of Popular Science, writer Jim Schefter tested the device with its big futuristic promises and hours-long setup time.
—Popular Science, 6 Mar. 2024
The 2006 film delivered on its promise, winning Best Picture and, finally, scoring Scorsese his first Best Director trophy.
—Derek Lawrence, EW.com, 5 Mar. 2024
The United States – a top destination for Haitian migrants fleeing the country’s turmoil – has also eagerly backed the mission with a promise of $200 million.
—Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024
Verb
Crafted from sustainable materials and built for longevity, this set promises a stylish and comfortable playtime.
—Samantha McIntyre, Parents, 9 Mar. 2024
In a bid to compete with similar membership programs like Walmart+ and Amazon Prime, Target Circle 360—which will cost customers $99 per year—promises free two-day shipping on online orders and unlimited same-day delivery under an hour on orders over $35.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024
Rivian promises a full refund for customers who change their mind.
—Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 8 Mar. 2024
Your double promised enough strength to respond with heart length plus clubs or diamond support.
—Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024
Grass seed that’s promised to patch bare spots usually won’t.
—Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2024
This could prove promising: Europe has close to 20 start-ups developing micro-launchers and most have plans for larger rockets.
—Jean-François Morizur, Fortune Europe, 8 Mar. 2024
Even though venture capital deals have slowed, life science companies like Boundless that promise clinical data within months — not years — are getting attention from investors.
—Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2024
This had never been done before—with any disease—but the nonprofit Cystic Fibrosis Foundation deemed the strategy promising enough to strike an unusual venture-philanthropy agreement with a company that would attempt it, which was eventually bought by Vertex Pharmaceuticals.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2024
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'promise.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English promis, from Latin promissum, from neuter of promissus, past participle of promittere to send forth, promise, from pro- forth + mittere to send
First Known Use
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of promise was
in the 15th century
See more words from the same century
Phrases Containing promise
a lick and a promise
break one's promise
go back on one's promise
keep/fulfill one's promise
hold/have promise
I (can) promise you
make a promise
promise (someone) the stars/moon/earth/world
show (a lot of) promise
breach of promise
full of promise
lick and a promise
Dictionary Entries Near promise
promiscuous
promise
promised land
See More Nearby Entries
Cite this Entry
Style
MLA
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
“Promise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/promise. Accessed 12 Mar. 2024.
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Kids Definition
promise
1 of 2
noun
prom·ise
ˈpräm-əs
1
: a statement by a person that he or she will or will not do something
a promise to pay within a month
2
: something promised
3
: a cause or ground for hope
give promise of success shows promise
promise
2 of 2
verb
promised; promising
1
: to give a promise about one's own actions
I promise to clean my room this afternoon
2
: to give reason to expect
dark clouds promising rain
promisor
ˌpräm-ə-ˈsȯ(ə)r
noun
Etymology
Noun
Middle English promisse, promis "promise," derived from Latin promissus, past participle of promittere "to send forth, promise," from pro- "forward, forth" and mittere "to send, throw" — related to message
Legal Definition
promise
noun
prom·ise
: a declaration or manifestation especially in a contract of an intention to act or refrain from acting in a specified way that gives the party to whom it is made a right to expect its fulfillment
—
aleatory promise
: a promise (as to compensate an insured individual for future loss) whose fulfillment is dependent on a fortuitous or uncertain event
—
collateral promise
: a promise usually to pay the debt of another that is ancillary to an original promise, is not made for the benefit of the party making it, and must be in writing to be enforceable
—
false promise
: a promise that is made with no intention of carrying it out and especially with intent to deceive or defraud
—
gratuitous promise
: a promise that is made without consideration and is usually unenforceable
called also
naked promise
compare nudum pactum
Note:
A gratuitous promise may be enforceable under promissory estoppel.
—
illusory promise
: a purported promise that does not actually bind the party making it to a particular performance
an illusory promise depending solely on the will of the supposed promisor
—
implied promise
: a promise that is considered to exist despite the lack of an agreement or express terms to that effect and the breach of which may be recognized as a cause of action
claimed a breach of an implied promise that he would not be terminated at will
see also promise implied in fact and promise implied in law in this entry
—
naked promise
: gratuitous promise in this entry
—
original promise
: a promise (as in a suretyship) usually to pay the debt of another that is made primarily for the benefit of the party making it and need not be in writing to be enforceable compare collateral promise in this entry, main purpose rule
—
promise implied in fact
: an implied promise that exists by inference from specific facts, circumstances, or acts of the parties
—
promise implied in law
: an implied promise that exists on the basis of a legally enforceable duty and not on the basis of words or conduct which are promissory in form or support an inference of a promise
a promise implied in law that one will be compensated for services rendered and accepted
More from Merriam-Webster on promise
Nglish: Translation of promise for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of promise for Arabic Speakers
Last Updated:
11 Mar 2024
- Updated example sentences
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PROMISE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
PROMISE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
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Meaning of promise in English
promiseverb uk
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/ˈprɒm.ɪs/ us
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/ˈprɑː.mɪs/
promise verb
(SAY CERTAINLY)
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B1 [ I or T ] to tell someone that you will certainly do something: [ + to infinitive ] He promised faithfully to call me every week. [ + that ] The government have promised that they'll reduce taxes. [ + (that) ] Promise me (that) you won't tell him. I'll look for some while I'm at the shops but I'm not promising anything. Can I have that book back when you've finished because I've promised it (= I have said I will give it) to Sara. [ + two objects ] Her parents promised her a new car if she passed her exams. I've promised myself a long bath when I get through all this work. [ + speech ] "I'll come round and see you every day," she promised. "I won't do anything dangerous." "You promise?" "I promise." "I won't have time to take you shopping this afternoon." "But you promised!"
Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples
to promise someone somethingpromiseI promise that I'll be home before dark.guaranteeI can't guarantee that the operation will be successful.give (someone) your wordHe gave me his word that the job would be finished on time.assure"Don't worry, your car will be ready tomorrow", the mechanic assured him.swearI didn't know what happened, I swear.pledgeWe are asking people to pledge their support for our campaign.
See more results »
More examplesFewer examples"But listen, you must promise never to tell anyone." "I promise."You have to stand up in court and promise to tell 'the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth'.I gave him my number and he promised to call me.I promised the babysitter that we'd be home by midnight.She's been promising to pay back the money for six months, but I reckon she's just stringing me along.
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Making & breaking promises & commitments
assurance
be on your honour idiom
breach of contract
commit someone to something
commitment
committed
cross my heart (and hope to die) idiom
deliver on something
fink
fink out
oath
pact
pledge
promises, promises! idiom
promisor
promissory
repledge
restrictive covenant
sworn
vow
See more results »
promise verb
(BE EXPECTED)
promise to be good, exciting, etc.
B2 If something promises to be good, exciting, etc. it is expected to be good, exciting, etc.: It promises to be a really exciting game.
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Planning, expecting and arranging
accidentally
accidentally on purpose idiom
advertent
advisedly
aim at something
conscious
cue
game something out
game-fixing
hatch
have something in mind idiom
have something up your sleeve idiom
horizon scanning
muster
pencil
provide
provide against something
provide for someone
provident
providently
See more results »
Grammar
PromisePromise is a noun and a verb. …
Idiom
promise someone the earth/moon
promisenoun uk
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/ˈprɒm.ɪs/ us
Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio
/ˈprɑː.mɪs/
promise noun
(SAY CERTAINLY)
B1 [ C ] the act of saying that you will certainly do something: I'll put my things away tonight - and that's a promise! I'll try to get back in time, but I'm not making any promises.
keep/break a promise
B2 to do/not do what you said that you would do: If I make a promise, I like to keep it.
Synonyms
assurance (PROMISE)
bond (PROMISE)
commitment
guarantee
oath (PROMISE)
pledge
undertaking (PROMISE) formal
vow
word (PROMISE)
More examplesFewer examplesShe felt encouraged by their promise of support.I made a promise to you and I intend to keep it.Voters are bound to be mistrustful of a government that has broken so many promises.The prime minister may now be regretting her impetuous promise to reduce unemployment by half.The company has not kept faith with its promise to invest in training.
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Making & breaking promises & commitments
assurance
be on your honour idiom
breach of contract
commit someone to something
commitment
committed
cross my heart (and hope to die) idiom
deliver on something
fink
fink out
oath
pact
pledge
promises, promises! idiom
promisor
promissory
repledge
restrictive covenant
sworn
vow
See more results »
promise noun
(EXPECTED)
[ U ] the idea that someone or something is likely to develop successfully and that people expect this to happen: His English teacher had written on his report that he showed great promise. As a child I was quite a good dancer, but I didn't fulfil my early promise.
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Potential
accident
an accident waiting to happen idiom
auspicious
auspiciously
be an actor, cook, etc. in the making idiom
embryo
fertile
making
not be beyond the wit of man/someone idiom
potential
potentiality
potentially
prospect
realizable
retrievable
room
room for improvement idiom
sleeper
unmined
wit
See more results »
Grammar
PromisePromise is a noun and a verb. …
Idiom
promises, promises!
(Definition of promise from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)
promise | American Dictionary
promiseverb us
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/ˈprɑm·ɪs/
promise verb
(STATE CONFIDENTLY)
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[ I/T ] to state to someone that you will certainly do something: [ T ] We promised the kids (that) we’d take them to the zoo. [ + to infinitive ] She promised to be careful.
promise verb
(HAVE LIKELY SUCCESS)
to seem likely: [ + to infinitive ] The new movie promises to be one of the biggest money-makers of all time.
promisenoun us
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/ˈprɑm·ɪs/
promise noun
(LIKELY SUCCESS)
[ U ] the likelihood of success or achievement: She shows great promise as a fiction writer.
promise noun
(CONFIDENT STATEMENT)
[ C ] a statement that you will certainly do something: I’ll try to get back in time, but I’m not making any promises. He broke his promise to (= said he would but did not) give his art collection to the county museum.
(Definition of promise from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)
Examples of promise
promise
Instead, it exhilarates them with illusions and promises, which can intoxicate but cannot produce results.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
He immediately gave himself up and promised to name his accomplices and own up to all his crimes if pardoned.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Patterns of butterfly diversity and promising topics in natural history and ecology.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
The analogy suggests that speculation makes a claim, promises something to the community, while contributing nothing at all to other scientists.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Both the process of legislative bargaining and its nation-building object promised to slowly forge a nonzero sum game out of economic rivalry.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
The most recent systematic review (4), carried out by an orthopedist, supports these (very promising) findings.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Agencies need to match users' expectations by producing what they have promised.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
We suggest that considerations of host sociality and intraspecific interactions represent promising lines of inquiry.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
However, since it cannot make any metaphysical promises to its adherents, one would expect that not everybody is "born" to live it.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Now it promised to become a tool for fractionating the cytoplasm of normal cells.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
However, this does not mean the novel endorses the manuals' promises.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
I indicate how it promises to help alleviate some difficulties facing modern practical ethics.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
The difficulty, therefore, is that an inability to access the economic welfare and security that social citizenship promises inhibits any prospect of real inclusion.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
A usurper is climbing the steps to the throne, and he promises changes.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
To some the year 1918 promised defeat ; certainly there seemed little prospect of the war's end.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
See all examples of promise
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Collocations with promise
promise
These are words often used in combination with promise.Click on a collocation to see more examples of it.
breach of promiseThe central concept is breach of promise in marriage or marriage situations - and all the subsidary information leads into that.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
broken promiseOn the other hand, the fault for a broken promise may lie with some unforeseen event beyond the promiser's control.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
campaign promiseHe made a campaign promise to work to abolish the office for which he was running.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
See all collocations with promise
What is the pronunciation of promise?
B1,B2,B1,B2
Translations of promise
in Chinese (Traditional)
肯定地說, 允諾，答應, 保證…
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in Chinese (Simplified)
肯定地说, 允诺，答应, 保证…
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in Spanish
prometer, promesa, promesa [feminine…
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in Portuguese
prometer, dar a palavra, promessa…
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in more languages
in Marathi
in Japanese
in Turkish
in French
in Catalan
in Dutch
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in Hindi
in Gujarati
in Danish
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in German
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in Urdu
in Ukrainian
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आश्वासन, वचन, शब्द देणे…
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（人）に～を約束する, 保証する, （人）に～を与えることを約束する…
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söz vermek, vaatte bulunmak, vaat etmek…
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promesse [feminine], promettre, promettre (de)…
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prometre, promesa…
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beloven, veelbelovend zijn, belofte…
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நீங்கள் நிச்சயமாக ஏதாவது செய்வீர்கள் என்று ஒருவரிடம் கூற, நீங்கள் நிச்சயமாக ஏதாவது செய்வீர்கள் என்று சொல்லும் செயல்…
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वादा करना, वादा…
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વચન આપવું…
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love, løfte, forventning…
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lova, förebåda, löfte…
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berjanji, menjanjikan, dijangka…
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versprechen, Hoffnung erwecken, das Versprechen…
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løfte [masculine], utsikt [masculine], talent [neuter]…
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وعدہ کرنا, عہد کرنا, وعدہ…
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обіцяти, обіцянка, перспектива…
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обещать, обещание…
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మీరు ఖచ్చితంగా ఏదైనా చేస్తారని ఎవరికైనా చెప్పు, వాగ్దానం/ మీరు ఖచ్చితంగా ఏదైనా చేస్తారని చెప్పే చర్య…
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يَعِد, وَعْد…
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প্রতিজ্ঞা করা, অঙ্গীকার, প্রতিশ্রুতি…
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slíbit, slibovat, slib…
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berjanji, menjanjikan, menjanjikan harapan…
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สัญญา, มีเค้า, ส่อแวว…
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hứa, đảm bảo, báo hiệu…
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obiecywać, przyrzekać, obietnica…
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약속하다, 약속…
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promettere, promessa…
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prominently
promiscuity
promiscuous
promiscuously
promise
promise someone the earth/moon idiom
promised
Promised Land
promisee
More meanings of promise
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pinky promise
out-promise, at outpromise
pinky promise, at pinky swear
pinkie promise, at pinky promise
holds promise
keep your promise/word phrase
promise someone the earth/moon idiom
See all meanings
Idioms and phrases
keep your promise/word phrase
promise someone the earth/moon idiom
a lick and a promise idiom
solemn promise, commitment, undertaking, etc. phrase
See all idioms and phrases
Word of the Day
response
UK
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/rɪˈspɒns/
US
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/rɪˈspɑːns/
an answer or reaction
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Contents
English
Verb
promise (SAY CERTAINLY)
promise (BE EXPECTED)
promise to be good, exciting, etc.
Noun
promise (SAY CERTAINLY)
keep/break a promise
promise (EXPECTED)
American
Verb
promise (STATE CONFIDENTLY)
promise (HAVE LIKELY SUCCESS)
Noun
promise (LIKELY SUCCESS)
promise (CONFIDENT STATEMENT)
Examples
Collocations
Translations
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Promise - JavaScript | MDN
ise - JavaScript | MDNSkip to main contentSkip to searchSkip to select languageMDN Web DocsOpen main menuReferencesReferencesOverview / Web TechnologyWeb technology reference for developersHTMLStructure of content on the webCSSCode used to describe document styleJavaScriptGeneral-purpose scripting languageHTTPProtocol for transmitting web resourcesWeb APIsInterfaces for building web applicationsWeb ExtensionsDeveloping extensions for web browsersWeb TechnologyWeb technology reference for developersGuidesGuidesOverview / MDN Learning AreaLearn web developmentMDN Learning AreaLearn web developmentHTMLLearn to structure web content with HTMLCSSLearn to style content using CSSJavaScriptLearn to run scripts in the browserAccessibilityLearn to make the web accessible to allPlusPlusOverviewA customized MDN experienceAI Help (beta)Get real-time assistance and supportUpdatesAll browser compatibility updates at a glanceDocumentationLearn how to use MDN PlusFAQFrequently asked questions about MDN PlusCurriculumNewBlogPlayAI Help BetaSearch MDNClear search inputSearchThemeLog inSign up for freeReferencesJavaScriptReferenceStandard built-in objectsPromiseArticle ActionsEnglish (US)Filter sidebarClear filter inputIn this articleDescriptionConstructorStatic propertiesStatic methodsInstance propertiesInstance methodsExamplesSpecificationsBrowser compatibilitySee alsoStandard built-in objectsPromiseConstructorPromise() constructorPropertiesPromise[@@species]MethodsPromise.all()Promise.allSettled()Promise.any()Promise.prototype.catch()Promise.prototype.finally()Promise.race()Promise.reject()Promise.resolve()Promise.prototype.then()Promise.withResolvers()InheritanceFunctionConstructorFunction() constructorPropertiesFunction.prototype.argumentsNon-standard
Deprecated
Function.prototype.caller
Non-standard
Deprecated
Function: displayName
Non-standard
Function: lengthFunction: nameFunction: prototypeMethodsFunction.prototype[@@hasInstance]()Function.prototype.apply()Function.prototype.bind()Function.prototype.call()Function.prototype.toString()ObjectPropertiesObject.prototype.constructorObject.prototype.__proto__
Deprecated
MethodsObject.prototype.__defineGetter__()
Deprecated
Object.prototype.__defineSetter__()
Deprecated
Object.prototype.__lookupGetter__()
Deprecated
Object.prototype.__lookupSetter__()
Deprecated
Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty()Object.prototype.isPrototypeOf()Object.prototype.propertyIsEnumerable()Object.prototype.toLocaleString()Object.prototype.toString()Object.prototype.valueOf()In this articleDescriptionConstructorStatic propertiesStatic methodsInstance propertiesInstance methodsExamplesSpecificationsBrowser compatibilitySee alsoPromiseThe Promise object represents the eventual completion (or failure) of an asynchronous operation and its resulting value.
To learn about the way promises work and how you can use them, we advise you to read Using promises first.DescriptionA Promise is a proxy for a value not necessarily known when the promise is created. It allows you to associate handlers with an asynchronous action's eventual success value or failure reason. This lets asynchronous methods return values like synchronous methods: instead of immediately returning the final value, the asynchronous method returns a promise to supply the value at some point in the future.
A Promise is in one of these states:
pending: initial state, neither fulfilled nor rejected.
fulfilled: meaning that the operation was completed successfully.
rejected: meaning that the operation failed.
The eventual state of a pending promise can either be fulfilled with a value or rejected with a reason (error).
When either of these options occur, the associated handlers queued up by a promise's then method are called. If the promise has already been fulfilled or rejected when a corresponding handler is attached, the handler will be called, so there is no race condition between an asynchronous operation completing and its handlers being attached.
A promise is said to be settled if it is either fulfilled or rejected, but not pending.
You will also hear the term resolved used with promises — this means that the promise is settled or "locked-in" to match the eventual state of another promise, and further resolving or rejecting it has no effect. The States and fates document from the original Promise proposal contains more details about promise terminology. Colloquially, "resolved" promises are often equivalent to "fulfilled" promises, but as illustrated in "States and fates", resolved promises can be pending or rejected as well. For example:
jsnew Promise((resolveOuter) => {
resolveOuter(
new Promise((resolveInner) => {
setTimeout(resolveInner, 1000);
}),
);
});
This promise is already resolved at the time when it's created (because the resolveOuter is called synchronously), but it is resolved with another promise, and therefore won't be fulfilled until 1 second later, when the inner promise fulfills. In practice, the "resolution" is often done behind the scenes and not observable, and only its fulfillment or rejection are.
Note: Several other languages have mechanisms for lazy evaluation and deferring a computation, which they also call "promises", e.g. Scheme. Promises in JavaScript represent processes that are already happening, which can be chained with callback functions. If you are looking to lazily evaluate an expression, consider using a function with no arguments e.g. f = () => expression to create the lazily-evaluated expression, and f() to evaluate the expression immediately.
Chained PromisesThe methods Promise.prototype.then(), Promise.prototype.catch(), and Promise.prototype.finally() are used to associate further action with a promise that becomes settled. As these methods return promises, they can be chained.
The .then() method takes up to two arguments; the first argument is a callback function for the fulfilled case of the promise, and the second argument is a callback function for the rejected case. Each .then() returns a newly generated promise object, which can optionally be used for chaining; for example:
jsconst myPromise = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
setTimeout(() => {
resolve("foo");
}, 300);
});
myPromise
.then(handleFulfilledA, handleRejectedA)
.then(handleFulfilledB, handleRejectedB)
.then(handleFulfilledC, handleRejectedC);
Processing continues to the next link of the chain even when a .then() lacks a callback function. Therefore, a chain can safely omit every rejection callback function until the final .catch().
Handling a rejected promise in each .then() has consequences further down the promise chain. Sometimes there is no choice, because an error must be handled immediately. In such cases we must throw an error of some type to maintain error state down the chain. On the other hand, in the absence of an immediate need, it is simpler to leave out error handling until a final .catch() statement. A .catch() is really just a .then() without a slot for a callback function for the case when the promise is fulfilled.
jsmyPromise
.then(handleFulfilledA)
.then(handleFulfilledB)
.then(handleFulfilledC)
.catch(handleRejectedAny);
Using arrow functions for the callback functions, implementation of the promise chain might look something like this:
jsmyPromise
.then((value) => `${value} and bar`)
.then((value) => `${value} and bar again`)
.then((value) => `${value} and again`)
.then((value) => `${value} and again`)
.then((value) => {
console.log(value);
})
.catch((err) => {
console.error(err);
});
Note: For faster execution, all synchronous actions should preferably be done within one handler, otherwise it would take several ticks to execute all handlers in sequence.
The termination condition of a promise determines the "settled" state of the next promise in the chain. A "fulfilled" state indicates a successful completion of the promise, while a "rejected" state indicates a lack of success. The return value of each fulfilled promise in the chain is passed along to the next .then(), while the reason for rejection is passed along to the next rejection-handler function in the chain.
The promises of a chain are nested in one another, but get popped like the top of a stack. The first promise in the chain is most deeply nested and is the first to pop.
(promise D, (promise C, (promise B, (promise A) ) ) )
When a nextValue is a promise, the effect is a dynamic replacement. The return causes a promise to be popped, but the nextValue promise is pushed into its place. For the nesting shown above, suppose the .then() associated with "promise B" returns a nextValue of "promise X". The resulting nesting would look like this:
(promise D, (promise C, (promise X) ) )
A promise can participate in more than one nesting. For the following code, the transition of promiseA into a "settled" state will cause both instances of .then() to be invoked.
jsconst promiseA = new Promise(myExecutorFunc);
const promiseB = promiseA.then(handleFulfilled1, handleRejected1);
const promiseC = promiseA.then(handleFulfilled2, handleRejected2);
An action can be assigned to an already "settled" promise. In that case, the action (if appropriate) will be performed at the first asynchronous opportunity. Note that promises are guaranteed to be asynchronous. Therefore, an action for an already "settled" promise will occur only after the stack has cleared and a clock-tick has passed. The effect is much like that of setTimeout(action, 0).
jsconst promiseA = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
resolve(777);
});
// At this point, "promiseA" is already settled.
promiseA.then((val) => console.log("asynchronous logging has val:", val));
console.log("immediate logging");
// produces output in this order:
// immediate logging
// asynchronous logging has val: 777
ThenablesThe JavaScript ecosystem had made multiple Promise implementations long before it became part of the language. Despite being represented differently internally, at the minimum, all Promise-like objects implement the Thenable interface. A thenable implements the .then() method, which is called with two callbacks: one for when the promise is fulfilled, one for when it's rejected. Promises are thenables as well.
To interoperate with the existing Promise implementations, the language allows using thenables in place of promises. For example, Promise.resolve will not only resolve promises, but also trace thenables.
jsconst aThenable = {
then(onFulfilled, onRejected) {
onFulfilled({
// The thenable is fulfilled with another thenable
then(onFulfilled, onRejected) {
onFulfilled(42);
},
});
},
};
Promise.resolve(aThenable); // A promise fulfilled with 42
Promise concurrencyThe Promise class offers four static methods to facilitate async task concurrency:
Promise.all()
Fulfills when all of the promises fulfill; rejects when any of the promises rejects.
Promise.allSettled()
Fulfills when all promises settle.
Promise.any()
Fulfills when any of the promises fulfills; rejects when all of the promises reject.
Promise.race()
Settles when any of the promises settles. In other words, fulfills when any of the promises fulfills; rejects when any of the promises rejects.
All these methods take an iterable of promises (thenables, to be exact) and return a new promise. They all support subclassing, which means they can be called on subclasses of Promise, and the result will be a promise of the subclass type. To do so, the subclass's constructor must implement the same signature as the Promise() constructor — accepting a single executor function that can be called with the resolve and reject callbacks as parameters. The subclass must also have a resolve static method that can be called like Promise.resolve() to resolve values to promises.
Note that JavaScript is single-threaded by nature, so at a given instant, only one task will be executing, although control can shift between different promises, making execution of the promises appear concurrent. Parallel execution in JavaScript can only be achieved through worker threads.Constructor
Promise()
Creates a new Promise object. The constructor is primarily used to wrap functions that do not already support promises.
Static properties
Promise[@@species]
Returns the constructor used to construct return values from promise methods.
Static methods
Promise.all()
Takes an iterable of promises as input and returns a single Promise. This returned promise fulfills when all of the input's promises fulfill (including when an empty iterable is passed), with an array of the fulfillment values. It rejects when any of the input's promises reject, with this first rejection reason.
Promise.allSettled()
Takes an iterable of promises as input and returns a single Promise. This returned promise fulfills when all of the input's promises settle (including when an empty iterable is passed), with an array of objects that describe the outcome of each promise.
Promise.any()
Takes an iterable of promises as input and returns a single Promise. This returned promise fulfills when any of the input's promises fulfill, with this first fulfillment value. It rejects when all of the input's promises reject (including when an empty iterable is passed), with an AggregateError containing an array of rejection reasons.
Promise.race()
Takes an iterable of promises as input and returns a single Promise. This returned promise settles with the eventual state of the first promise that settles.
Promise.reject()
Returns a new Promise object that is rejected with the given reason.
Promise.resolve()
Returns a Promise object that is resolved with the given value. If the value is a thenable (i.e. has a then method), the returned promise will "follow" that thenable, adopting its eventual state; otherwise, the returned promise will be fulfilled with the value.
Promise.withResolvers()
Returns an object containing a new Promise object and two functions to resolve or reject it, corresponding to the two parameters passed to the executor of the Promise() constructor.
Instance propertiesThese properties are defined on Promise.prototype and shared by all Promise instances.
Promise.prototype.constructor
The constructor function that created the instance object. For Promise instances, the initial value is the Promise constructor.
Promise.prototype[@@toStringTag]
The initial value of the @@toStringTag property is the string "Promise". This property is used in Object.prototype.toString().
Instance methods
Promise.prototype.catch()
Appends a rejection handler callback to the promise, and returns a new promise resolving to the return value of the callback if it is called, or to its original fulfillment value if the promise is instead fulfilled.
Promise.prototype.finally()
Appends a handler to the promise, and returns a new promise that is resolved when the original promise is resolved. The handler is called when the promise is settled, whether fulfilled or rejected.
Promise.prototype.then()
Appends fulfillment and rejection handlers to the promise, and returns a new promise resolving to the return value of the called handler, or to its original settled value if the promise was not handled (i.e. if the relevant handler onFulfilled or onRejected is not a function).
ExamplesBasic Examplejsconst myFirstPromise = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
// We call resolve(...) when what we were doing asynchronously was successful, and reject(...) when it failed.
// In this example, we use setTimeout(...) to simulate async code.
// In reality, you will probably be using something like XHR or an HTML API.
setTimeout(() => {
resolve("Success!"); // Yay! Everything went well!
}, 250);
});
myFirstPromise.then((successMessage) => {
// successMessage is whatever we passed in the resolve(...) function above.
// It doesn't have to be a string, but if it is only a succeed message, it probably will be.
console.log(`Yay! ${successMessage}`);
});
Example with diverse situationsThis example shows diverse techniques for using Promise capabilities and diverse situations that can occur. To understand this, start by scrolling to the bottom of the code block, and examine the promise chain. Upon provision of an initial promise, a chain of promises can follow. The chain is composed of .then() calls, and typically (but not necessarily) has a single .catch() at the end, optionally followed by .finally(). In this example, the promise chain is initiated by a custom-written new Promise() construct; but in actual practice, promise chains more typically start with an API function (written by someone else) that returns a promise.
The example function tetheredGetNumber() shows that a promise generator will utilize reject() while setting up an asynchronous call, or within the call-back, or both. The function promiseGetWord() illustrates how an API function might generate and return a promise in a self-contained manner.
Note that the function troubleWithGetNumber() ends with a throw. That is forced because a promise chain goes through all the .then() promises, even after an error, and without the throw, the error would seem "fixed". This is a hassle, and for this reason, it is common to omit onRejected throughout the chain of .then() promises, and just have a single onRejected in the final catch().
This code can be run under NodeJS. Comprehension is enhanced by seeing the errors actually occur. To force more errors, change the threshold values.
js// To experiment with error handling, "threshold" values cause errors randomly
const THRESHOLD_A = 8; // can use zero 0 to guarantee error
function tetheredGetNumber(resolve, reject) {
setTimeout(() => {
const randomInt = Date.now();
const value = randomInt % 10;
if (value < THRESHOLD_A) {
resolve(value);
} else {
reject(`Too large: ${value}`);
}
}, 500);
}
function determineParity(value) {
const isOdd = value % 2 === 1;
return { value, isOdd };
}
function troubleWithGetNumber(reason) {
const err = new Error("Trouble getting number", { cause: reason });
console.error(err);
throw err;
}
function promiseGetWord(parityInfo) {
return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
const { value, isOdd } = parityInfo;
if (value >= THRESHOLD_A - 1) {
reject(`Still too large: ${value}`);
} else {
parityInfo.wordEvenOdd = isOdd ? "odd" : "even";
resolve(parityInfo);
}
});
}
new Promise(tetheredGetNumber)
.then(determineParity, troubleWithGetNumber)
.then(promiseGetWord)
.then((info) => {
console.log(`Got: ${info.value}, ${info.wordEvenOdd}`);
return info;
})
.catch((reason) => {
if (reason.cause) {
console.error("Had previously handled error");
} else {
console.error(`Trouble with promiseGetWord(): ${reason}`);
}
})
.finally((info) => console.log("All done"));
Advanced ExampleThis small example shows the mechanism of a Promise. The testPromise() method is called each time the
The fulfillment of the promise is logged, via a fulfill callback set using p1.then(). A few logs show how the synchronous part of the method is decoupled from the asynchronous completion of the promise.
By clicking the button several times in a short amount of time, you'll even see the different promises being fulfilled one after another.
HTML
html
JavaScript
js"use strict";
let promiseCount = 0;
function testPromise() {
const thisPromiseCount = ++promiseCount;
const log = document.getElementById("log");
// begin
log.insertAdjacentHTML("beforeend", `${thisPromiseCount}) Started
`);
// We make a new promise: we promise a numeric count of this promise,
// starting from 1 (after waiting 3s)
const p1 = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
// The executor function is called with the ability
// to resolve or reject the promise
log.insertAdjacentHTML(
"beforeend",
`${thisPromiseCount}) Promise constructor
`,
);
// This is only an example to create asynchronism
setTimeout(
() => {
// We fulfill the promise
resolve(thisPromiseCount);
},
Math.random() * 2000 + 1000,
);
});
// We define what to do when the promise is resolved with the then() call,
// and what to do when the promise is rejected with the catch() call
p1.then((val) => {
// Log the fulfillment value
log.insertAdjacentHTML("beforeend", `${val}) Promise fulfilled
`);
}).catch((reason) => {
// Log the rejection reason
console.log(`Handle rejected promise (${reason}) here.`);
});
// end
log.insertAdjacentHTML("beforeend", `${thisPromiseCount}) Promise made
`);
}
const btn = document.getElementById("make-promise");
btn.addEventListener("click", testPromise);
ResultLoading an image with XHRAnother simple example using Promise and XMLHttpRequest to load an image is available at the MDN GitHub js-examples repository. You can also see it in action. Each step is commented on and allows you to follow the Promise and XHR architecture closely.Incumbent settings object trackingA settings object is an environment that provides additional information when JavaScript code is running. This includes the realm and module map, as well as HTML specific information such as the origin. The incumbent settings object is tracked in order to ensure that the browser knows which one to use for a given piece of user code.
To better picture this, we can take a closer look at how the realm might be an issue. A realm can be roughly thought of as the global object. What is unique about realms is that they hold all of the necessary information to run JavaScript code. This includes objects like Array and Error. Each settings object has its own "copy" of these and they are not shared. That can cause some unexpected behavior in relation to promises. In order to get around this, we track something called the incumbent settings object. This represents information specific to the context of the user code responsible for a certain function call.
To illustrate this a bit further we can take a look at how an
The same concept applies to promises. If we modify the above example a little bit, we get this:
html
If we change this so that the
html
In the above example, the inner text of the