guaranteed

1. 1
   adjective

   Made certain to happen; promised in a way that can be relied on.

   Like a reserved seat with your name on it: it stays yours no matter who else shows up.

   The contract offers a guaranteed return on the initial investment.

   Front-row tickets give fans guaranteed access to the meet-and-greet.

   Similarassured, secure, certain, promised

   Oppositeuncertain

   Note

   An adjective that does not grade: a return is guaranteed or it is not, so more guaranteed is avoided. It can follow its noun as compact shorthand, as in $100k guaranteed, the promised minimum of a poker prize pool. With a to-infinitive it leans toward confident prediction, as in a movie guaranteed to have you in tears. That construction stays close to the passive participle.

2. 2
   verb

   Simple past and past participle of guarantee.

   The company guaranteed delivery within two business days.

   Each loan was guaranteed by the federal government.

   Note

   One spelling does double duty. It is the plain past (the company guaranteed delivery) and the participle behind perfects and passives (has guaranteed, was guaranteed). The passive fits the debt meaning of guarantee especially well, where a guarantor takes responsibility for someone else's obligation. In a loan guaranteed by the government, the by-phrase names who stands behind the promise.

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