oath
Binding spoken commitment
An oath is a solemn promise, often invoking a higher power as witness: She took an oath to tell the truth.
Oaths formalize commitments—the oath of office, the Hippocratic oath, wedding vows.
An oath is also an exclamation invoking something sacred, often profanely: He muttered oaths under his breath.
To be under oath is to have sworn to tell the truth, with legal consequences for lying.
Binding promise given
- vowSolemn personal commitment
- covenantBinding formal pledge
- wordLinguistic meaning unit
- assuranceFirm promise or certainty
guarantee · undertaking · commitment · agreement · compact · troth · declaration · avowal
Sworn written statement
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
- perjuryCriminal courtroom dishonesty
- witnessOne who attests
testify · notarized · subpoena · juror · sworn statement · court · attestation · verification
Loyalty owed to authority
- fealtyPledged devotion to authority
- fidelityLoyalty or exactness
- faithfulnessDevoted loyalty maintained
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
dedication · steadfastness · constancy · adherence · trueheartedness · patriotism · honour · integrity
Dedicated to the divine
- divineOf or from gods
- sacredWorthy of reverence
- consecratedDeclared sacred through ritual
- sanctifiedMade sacred through blessing
blessed · sacrosanct · reverent · solemn · prayer · covenant · altar · shrine
Invoked harm through words
- swearwordTaboo spoken obscenity
- expletiveProfane emotional utterance
- damnMild expletive
- hellUnderworld of suffering
cuss · blasphemy · invective · obscenity · vulgarity · imprecation · malediction · epithet
Official oath-taking ceremony
- inaugurationFormal beginning ceremony
- inductionFormal admission process
- initiationFormal admission ceremony
- enlistmentVoluntary entry into service
investiture · coronation · installation · rite · ritual · solemnity · consecration · ordination
pledge
Binding promise given
assurance · guarantee · undertaking · commitment · agreement · compact · troth · declaration · avowal · affirmation
affidavit
Sworn written statement
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
- perjuryCriminal courtroom dishonesty
witness · testify · notarized · subpoena · juror · sworn statement · court · attestation · verification · evidence
allegiance
Loyalty owed to authority
- fealtyPledged devotion to authority
- fidelityLoyalty or exactness
- faithfulnessDevoted loyalty maintained
devotion · dedication · steadfastness · constancy · adherence · trueheartedness · patriotism · honour · integrity · liege
holy
Dedicated to the divine
- divineOf or from gods
- sacredWorthy of reverence
- consecratedDeclared sacred through ritual
sanctified · blessed · sacrosanct · reverent · solemn · prayer · covenant · altar · shrine · pilgrimage
curse
Invoked harm through words
hell · cuss · blasphemy · invective · obscenity · vulgarity · imprecation · malediction · epithet · exclamation
swearing-in
Official oath-taking ceremony
- inaugurationFormal beginning ceremony
- inductionFormal admission process
- initiationFormal admission ceremony
enlistment · investiture · coronation · installation · rite · ritual · solemnity · consecration · ordination · commissioning
- agreementshandshake, contract, nod, accords, verbal consent
- formal actswedding, baptism, coronation, inauguration, vow
- formal statementsdeclaration, statement, assertion, affirmation, attestation
- Honor Valuesloyalty, courage, integrity, respect, sacrifice
- medieval knightsknight, knights, armor, sword, swords
- swearing invow, pledge, sworn statement, inauguration, induction
oathrelease
To let go
renunciation · disavowal · repudiation · empty words · retraction
oathsmall talk
Polite trivial conversation
pleasantry · chitchat · idle chatter · banter · jest
oathblessing
Prayer seeking divine favor
benediction · benison · prayer · invocation · consecration
- under oathFormally pledged to honesty
- sworn oathFormal binding promise
- false oathDishonest sworn statement
- lying under oathGiving false sworn testimony
- oath of officeFormal vow for public duty
- blood oathVow sealed by bloodshed