Meanings
- participlepastpast participle of swear
- not comparableBound as though by an oath.
I'm sworn to secrecy.
1 more example
Swum ashore, man, like a duck. I can swim like a duck, I'll be sworn.
1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii] - not comparableArdent, devout.
a sworn foe
1 more example
a sworn socialist
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Germanic*swarjaną“to swear”
- Proto-Germanic*swaranaz
- Proto-West Germanic*swaran
- Old Englishsworen
- Middle Englishsworen
- Englishsworn
From Middle English sworen, isworen, from Old English sworen, ġesworen, from Proto-West Germanic *swaran, *giswaran, from Proto-Germanic *swaranaz, past participle of Proto-Germanic *swarjaną (“to swear”), equivalent to swear + -en.
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ὅρκιος
- ὅρκιος (hórkios)Given under oath
Bulgarian заклет
- заклет (zaklet)Given under oath
Czech přísežný, místopřísežný
- přísežnýGiven under oath
- místopřísežnýGiven under oath
- zapřisáhlýardent
- vázaný přísahoubound by an oath
Polish przysięgły
- przysięgłyGiven under oath
Portuguese juramento
- juramentoGiven under oath
Russian заклятый
- заклятый (zakljatyj)Given under oath
Spanish jurado
- juradoGiven under oath
Swedish svuren
- svurenGiven under oath
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with sworn
Cite this entry
sworn. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sworn
“sworn.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sworn. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sworn,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sworn.
Source: sworn on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.