a broken promise

USAGE SUMMARY

"a broken promise" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation where a person has made a promise but has not kept it. For example: "He made a promise to his family but that was nothing more than a broken promise."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

Will it come across as a broken promise?

The New Yorker

Welfare reform in Arizona is certainly a broken promise".

The New York Times

Khan said this amounted to a broken promise.

The Guardian

Britain's coalition government was built on a broken promise.

The Guardian

To her, the vote on fees was a broken promise.

The Guardian

Her final declaration that "it's over" feels like a broken promise.

The New Yorker

Suárez clearly feels let down by what he sees as a broken promise.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

The tax plan currently being considered by Republican leadership is a broken promise.

HuffPost

Tony Abbott, and the anti-climate action media cheer squad, called it a carbon tax and a broken promise.

The Guardian

"The Cable Car and this deal is a broken promise to Londoners".

BBC

"I've had to live with a broken promise all my life," the toymaker confides to Noah.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use this phrase specifically when you want to emphasize the moral or ethical weight of a failure to act, as it carries more emotional baggage than "unfulfilled plan".

Common error

Do not use "broken promise" as a direct synonym for a lie. A lie involves intentional deception at the moment of speaking, whereas a broken promise refers to a failure to follow through on a commitment made in the past, even if the intent was originally genuine.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a broken promise" functions as a noun phrase that identifies the specific state of a commitment that has gone unfulfilled. According to Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and consists of an indefinite article, a past participle used as an adjective and a singular noun.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Reference

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a broken promise" is a robust and universally recognized phrase in the English language. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread presence across diverse and prestigious domains, including News & Media, Science and Formal & Business contexts. It is most frequently employed to describe political failures, ethical lapses or personal letdowns. While it is grammatically simple, its emotional resonance makes it a powerful choice for writers who wish to emphasize a breach of trust. When using this phrase, ensure that you are describing a failure of commitment rather than a simple falsehood to maintain semantic precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an unfulfilled pledge

Uses more formal vocabulary to describe the failure to meet a specific commitment.

a violated commitment

Emphasizes the active breaking of a serious obligation or agreement.

a breach of trust

Focuses on the interpersonal or ethical damage caused by the broken agreement.

a disregarded vow

Implies a more solemn or personal type of promise that has been ignored.

a reneged oath

Uses a technical verb to describe the formal withdrawal of a previously made promise.

a betrayed confidence

Highlights the emotional impact and the secret or personal nature of the promise.

an empty assurance

Suggests that the promise was hollow or insincere from the very beginning.

an unmet obligation

Frames the failure in practical or contractual terms rather than emotional ones.

a failure to deliver

Shifts the focus to the lack of results rather than the words spoken.

a rescinded guarantee

Focuses on the formal cancellation of a specific assurance or warranty.

FAQs

How do I use "a broken promise" in a sentence?

You can use it as a noun phrase to describe a situation: "The community felt betrayed by what they perceived as "a broken promise" regarding the new park."

What can I say instead of "a broken promise"?

Depending on your context, you can use alternatives like "an unfulfilled pledge", "a breach of trust" or "a violated commitment".

Is "a broken promise" considered formal or informal?

It is a neutral phrase that is widely accepted in both formal writing, such as in The New York Times, and informal conversation.

What is the difference between "a broken promise" and a breach of contract?

A "breach of contract" is a specific legal term for failing to uphold a written agreement, whereas "a broken promise" is a more general term that covers both personal and professional letdowns.