What does swore mean?
Swore is the past tense of the English verb swear and has two main uses. In its first sense, it reports that someone made a serious promise, oath, or emphatic declaration, as in 'He swore that he would return the money.' This use often suggests sincerity, solemnity, or formal testimony. In its second sense, swore describes the use of profane, rude, or offensive language, as in 'She swore when the machine broke down.' The word is used in both formal and informal English, although the promise-related sense is especially common in legal, journalistic, and narrative contexts. Swore should not be confused with sworn: swore is the simple past tense, while sworn is the past participle used after forms such as have, had, and is.
verbSwore is the past tense of swear. It can mean to make a solemn promise or to use profane or offensive language.
- Made a solemn promise or declaration
- Used profane or offensive language
"She swore that she had never taken anything from the office."
"The witness swore that she had seen the entire incident."
"He swore loudly when he saw the damaged engine."
Swore and sworn preserve one of English's most distinctive tense patterns: the past tense changes its vowel while the past participle changes its ending.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does swore come from?
Swore comes from the Old English verb swerian, meaning 'to swear' or 'to make an oath.' Its modern irregular forms reflect the historical development of the verb: swear changed to swore in the simple past and to sworn as the past participle. The word is related to Old Norse sverja, 'to swear,' and to other Germanic forms with the same general meaning.
Related word forms
How swore is actually used
The first sense is formal or solemn in many contexts, especially when someone speaks under oath. The second sense is generally informal and may be offensive depending on the words used.
Easily confused with swore
Swore is the simple past tense of swear, while sworn is the past participle, as in 'She swore she was innocent' and 'She has sworn she is innocent.'