commitment

[kuh-mit-muh nt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR commitment ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act of committing.

the state of being committed.

the act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself.

a pledge or promise; obligation: We have made a commitment to pay our bills on time.

engagement; involvement: They have a sincere commitment to religion.

perpetration or commission, as of a crime.

consignment, as to prison.

confinement to a mental institution or hospital: The psychiatrist recommended commitment.

an order, as by a court or judge, confining a person to a mental institution or hospital.

Law. a written order of a court directing that someone be confined in prison; mittimus.

Parliamentary Procedure. the act of referring or entrusting to a committee for consideration.

Stock Exchange.

an agreement to buy or sell securities.
a sale or purchase of securities.

Also committal (for defs 1, 3–11).

Origin of commitment

First recorded in 1605–15; commit + -ment

Related formsnon·com·mit·ment, nounpre·com·mit·ment, adjectiveself-com·mit·ment, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for commitment

pledge, engagement, responsibility, need, promise, guarantee, duty, word, undertaking, liability, charge, vow, must, devoir, committal, ought

Examples from the Web for commitment

Contemporary Examples of commitment

But the qualities Mario Cuomo brought to public life—compassion, integrity, commitment to principle—remain in short supply today.
President Cuomo Would’ve Been a Lion
Jonathan Alter
January 2, 2015
Marriage is a bond and a commitment—marrying yourself is ridiculous because you are already married to yourself.
Why Singles Should Say ‘I Don’t’ to The Self-Marriage Movement
Tim Teeman
December 30, 2014
It was a personal thing she was working towards, and I felt very invested as well seeing her level of commitment.
Angelina Jolie’s New Muse: The Rise of Jack O’Connell, Star of the WWII Epic ‘Unbroken’
Marlow Stern
December 10, 2014
“To see him make that commitment, and then the fact that he wanted to make sure his kids were baptized, speaks volumes,” Lee said.
The Baptism of Michael Brown Sr. and Ferguson’s Baptism by Fire
Justin Glawe
November 27, 2014
But this week, even as a new cabinet was sworn in, the Houthis showed no signs of honoring their commitment to demobilize.
Yemen’s a Model All Right—For Disaster
Michael Shank , Casey Harrity
November 14, 2014

Historical Examples of commitment

America, at its best, matches a commitment to principle with a concern for civility.
United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches
Various
And this commitment, if we keep it, is a way to shared accomplishment.
United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches
Various
Commitment: This term is used referring to a purchase of stock.
Successful Stock Speculation
John James Butler
The instrument bore the date of Champney Googe's commitment.
Flamsted quarries
Mary E. Waller
In the confusion, he offered to draw the warrant for his own commitment.
Atrocious Judges
John Campbell, Baron Campbell

British Dictionary definitions for commitment

commitment

noun

the act of committing or pledging

the state of being committed or pledged

an obligation, promise, etc that restricts one's freedom of action

the referral of a bill to a committee or legislature

Also called (esp formerly): mittimus law a written order of a court directing that a person be imprisoned

the official consignment of a person to a mental hospital or prison

commission or perpetration, esp of a crime

a future financial obligation or contingent liability

Also called (esp for senses 5, 6): committal (kəˈmɪtəl)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for commitment

1610s, "action of officially consigning to the custody of the state," from commit + -ment. (Anglo-French had commettement.) Meaning "the committing of oneself, pledge, promise" is attested from 1793; hence, "an obligation, an engagement" (1864).