betrothal
noun
be·troth·al
bi-ˈtrō-t͟həl 
-ˈtrȯ-,
-thəl
bē-
1
: the act of betrothing or fact of being betrothed
2
: a mutual promise or contract for a future marriage
Examples of betrothal in a Sentence
They were both young at the time of their betrothal.
the couple's betrothal lasted four years
Recent Examples on the Web
The betrothal culminates Sunday in a not-so-intimate ceremony at Allegiant Stadium, where the city will host its first-ever Super Bowl.
—
Rio Yamat, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2024
By the end of the first hour, Covey’s Edenic childhood has given way to a nightmarish betrothal.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Oct. 2023
The Netflix spin-off Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story centers on the royal betrothal of Queen Charlotte and King George III — queue the violins — and their love-hate union.
—Jacqueline Saguin, Good Housekeeping, 7 May 2023
The king and queen went on to announce their daughter's betrothal.
—Nancy Bilyeau, Town & Country, 9 Apr. 2021
Perhaps the plainer parallel between Verdi’s tale of a doomed betrothal and the Met’s desire to be explicit in its support for Ukraine is that both have the makings of a royal mess.
—Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2022
Getting engaged is a big deal, but so is the Instagram post to share the news of your future betrothal.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 10 Feb. 2023
The ballet’s title character is a peasant girl in love with a prince in disguise; when his identity is revealed, and his betrothal to another royal discovered, Giselle dies of a broken heart.
—Sarah L. Kaufman, Washington Post, 13 Oct. 2022
Rather than confirm or deny her betrothal, Swift—in true Swift style—shares her feelings about the media circus about her relationship status.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 21 Oct. 2022
Rio Yamat, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2024
By the end of the first hour, Covey’s Edenic childhood has given way to a nightmarish betrothal.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Oct. 2023
The Netflix spin-off Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story centers on the royal betrothal of Queen Charlotte and King George III — queue the violins — and their love-hate union.
—Jacqueline Saguin, Good Housekeeping, 7 May 2023
The king and queen went on to announce their daughter's betrothal.
—Nancy Bilyeau, Town & Country, 9 Apr. 2021
Perhaps the plainer parallel between Verdi’s tale of a doomed betrothal and the Met’s desire to be explicit in its support for Ukraine is that both have the makings of a royal mess.
—Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2022
Getting engaged is a big deal, but so is the Instagram post to share the news of your future betrothal.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 10 Feb. 2023
The ballet’s title character is a peasant girl in love with a prince in disguise; when his identity is revealed, and his betrothal to another royal discovered, Giselle dies of a broken heart.
—Sarah L. Kaufman, Washington Post, 13 Oct. 2022
Rather than confirm or deny her betrothal, Swift—in true Swift style—shares her feelings about the media circus about her relationship status.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 21 Oct. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'betrothal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
First Known Use
1683, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Dictionary Entries Near betrothal
Cite this Entry
“Betrothal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/betrothal. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
betrothal
noun
be·troth·al
-ˈtrōt͟h-əl
-ˈtrȯth-
-ˈtrȯth-
-ˈtrōth-
: an engagement to be married
More from Merriam-Webster on betrothal
Nglish: Translation of betrothal for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about betrothal
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share