commitment
Americannoun
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commitments
plural
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the act of committing.
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the state of being committed.
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the act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself.
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a pledge or promise; obligation.
We have made a commitment to pay our bills on time.
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They have a sincere commitment to religion.
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perpetration or commission, as of a crime.
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consignment, as to prison.
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confinement to a mental institution or hospital.
The psychiatrist recommended commitment.
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an order, as by a court or judge, confining a person to a mental institution or hospital.
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Law. a written order of a court directing that someone be confined in prison; mittimus.
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Parliamentary Procedure. the act of referring or entrusting to a committee for consideration.
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Stock Exchange.
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an agreement to buy or sell securities.
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a sale or purchase of securities.
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noun
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the act of committing or pledging
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the state of being committed or pledged
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an obligation, promise, etc that restricts one's freedom of action
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the referral of a bill to a committee or legislature
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Also called (esp formerly): mittimus. law a written order of a court directing that a person be imprisoned
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the official consignment of a person to a mental hospital or prison
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commission or perpetration, esp of a crime
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a future financial obligation or contingent liability
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of commitment
Explanation
Making a commitment involves dedicating yourself to something, like a person or a cause. Before you make a commitment, think carefully. A commitment obligates you to do something. Some commitments are large, like marriage. When you take a job, you're making a commitment to show up and do the job well, and your employer makes a commitment to pay you. There are smaller commitments too. If you said you'd meet a friend at six, that's a commitment — show up or your friend will be mad. You also can speak of commitment as a quality. Staying after school for a study group shows your commitment to good grades.
Vocabulary lists containing commitment
Starting Your New Life: Inspiring Words from Commencement Speeches
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"Creativity at Work" and "The Hidden Secrets of the Creative Mind"
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History is made in PA: Clinton's DNC Acceptance Speech
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"My commitment to Jewish safety is the same as my commitment to the safety of my own daughters," he said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
“The SpaceX commitment is significant, and the exclusivity angle is a real competitive signal,” Leaman said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026
This demonstrates its strong commitment to continuously enhance its shareholder value and returns, Shih says in a note.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Commissioners are expected to devote approximately one day per week to commission business over the course of a year, with a proportionately greater commitment required April to August.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
Following Kennedy’s assassination, President Johnson professed his commitment to the goal of “the full assimilation of more than twenty million Negroes into American life,” and ensured the passage of comprehensive civil rights legislation.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
"The US should build trust, speak respectfully, acknowledge our rights, and uphold commitments," Araghchi said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
Gomez's attorney Matthew Rosengart says their allegations are "vague, generalised and contradictory" and that Gomez never agreed to, and did not, manage the company, or make the kind of commitments they are suggesting.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Nvidia said Wednesday that its commitments to suppliers to secure components for its AI chips and systems reached $279 billion in its latest quarter, more than doubling from $119 billion the previous quarter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
“Nvidia continues to make strategic commitments across supply, infrastructure, and partner ecosystems to capitalize on the substantial growth opportunities ahead,” they said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026
If he expressed belief in Max, if he acted on that belief, would it not end just as all other commitments of faith had ended?
From "Native Son" by Richard Wright
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
