pact
Binding mutual promise
A pact is a formal agreement between parties, often with serious or binding implications: The two nations signed a nonaggression pact.
Pact suggests something more solemn than a casual promise—treaties, alliances, or deals sealed with commitment.
It can shade toward the sinister: a pact with the devil.
Informally, friends make pacts too: We had a pact never to speak of it again.
Agreed halt to hostilities
- ceasefireAgreed halt to fighting
- armisticeAgreement to cease hostilities
- nonaggressionRefraining from attack
- détenteEasing of strained relations
reconciliation · conciliation · amity · cessation · neutrality · disarmament · demilitarization · coexistence
Binding pact between nations
- accordHarmony between parties
- contractEnforceable written agreement
- covenantBinding formal pledge
- concordatVatican-state formal agreement
deal · settlement · understanding · arrangement · terms · protocol · convention · memorandum
Solemn personal commitment
- oathFormal binding promise
- pledgeBinding promise given
- swearVow or use profanity
- wordLinguistic meaning unit
assurance · guarantee · undertaking · commitment · troth · avowal · declaration · honor
Temporary alliance for action
- blocAllied group sharing interests
- unionJoining into one
- federationUnion of semi-autonomous states
- confederationAutonomous entities united loosely
league · axis · partnership · consortium · syndicate · affiliation · association · cartel
Faithful commitment to another
- trustConfidence in another
- solidarityUnity among allies
- unityWholeness through cohesion
- kinshipState of being related
brotherhood · sisterhood · fellowship · camaraderie · connection · affinity · cohesion · friendship
Sacrificing soul for gain
- bargainFavorable purchase price
- soulInnermost animating essence
- demonMalevolent supernatural being
- unholyWicked, impious, sinful
infernal · forbidden · supernatural · Mephistopheles · crossroads · damnation · temptation · price
truce
Agreed halt to hostilities
- ceasefireAgreed halt to fighting
- armisticeAgreement to cease hostilities
- nonaggressionRefraining from attack
détente · reconciliation · conciliation · amity · cessation · neutrality · disarmament · demilitarization · coexistence
treaty
Binding pact between nations
concordat · deal · settlement · understanding · arrangement · terms · protocol · convention · memorandum · charter
vow
Solemn personal commitment
word · assurance · guarantee · undertaking · commitment · troth · avowal · declaration · honor · binding
coalition
Temporary alliance for action
- blocAllied group sharing interests
- unionJoining into one
- federationUnion of semi-autonomous states
confederation · league · axis · partnership · consortium · syndicate · affiliation · association · cartel · tripartite
loyalty
Faithful commitment to another
- trustConfidence in another
- solidarityUnity among allies
- unityWholeness through cohesion
kinship · brotherhood · sisterhood · fellowship · camaraderie · connection · affinity · cohesion · friendship · rapport
Faustian
Sacrificing soul for gain
unholy · infernal · forbidden · supernatural · Mephistopheles · crossroads · damnation · temptation · price · sacrifice
- negotiationbargaining, bargain, negotiate, mediation, compromise
- alliancesalliance, allies, ally, coalition, NATO alliance
- defense treatiesmutual defense, military alliance, collective security, SEATO
- FaustianMephistopheles, Faust, Goethe, Dr. Faustus, forbidden knowledge
- legal documentscontract, affidavit, deed, will, subpoena
- pledgesvow, promise, I promise, wedding vows, I vow
pactbetrayal
Breaking of trust
breach · violation · broken promise · renunciation · repudiation
pactsplit
Separation into parts
rupture · schism · dissolution · breakup · separation
- devil's pactSoul-trading agreement
- pact with the devilSoul-selling agreement for gain
- blood pactPromise sealed by cutting
- defense pactAgreement for mutual military protection
- suicide pactAgreement to die together
- secret pactConfidential binding arrangement
impact, compact, compacted, compactness, compacting, compacts, pacts