guarantee

The word “guarantee” means a firm promise or assurance that something will happen or that a product will work as described. In plain terms, a firm promise that something will definitely happen, or a written assurance backing up a product.

“Guarantee” is pronounced gar-uhn-TEE (/ˌɡæɹ.ənˈtiː/ in IPA).

Here is “guarantee” used in a sentence: “The washing machine comes with a two-year guarantee.”

Words with a similar meaning to “guarantee” include warranty, assure, warrant and vouch.

Depending on how it is used, “guarantee” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “guarantee” comes from Old French. From Old French guarantie, related to a Germanic root meaning "warrant" — a close cousin of "warranty.".

“Guarantee” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Guarantee” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a firm promise or assurance that something will happen or that a product will work as described.

A guarantee is a firm promise that a product will work or a condition will be met, often offered free by the maker and sometimes spoken or implied. A warranty is a more formal, usually written assurance with specific terms, and may be included or bought separately. Warranties tend to be the legally detailed version.

A guarantee is the promise or assurance itself. A guarantor is the person or organisation that gives or backs that promise — for example, someone who agrees to repay a loan if the borrower cannot. Put simply, the guarantor is the party who provides the guarantee.

It can be. A guarantee that forms part of a contract or a sale is often legally enforceable, giving you rights if the promise is broken. Much depends on how it is worded and the consumer laws where you live. A vague spoken assurance is far harder to enforce than a written one.

A common example is a money-back guarantee, promising a refund if you are not satisfied. Others include a manufacturer's guarantee that a phone will be free of faults for a year, or a satisfaction guarantee on a service. Each is a firm assurance the customer can rely on.