commitment

American  

[kuh-mit-muhnt] / kəˈmɪt mənt /

noun

1. the act of committing.

2. the state of being committed.

3. the act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself.

4. a pledge or promise; obligation.

   We have made a commitment to pay our bills on time.

5. dedication; allegiance.

   They have a sincere commitment to religion.

6. perpetration or commission, as of a crime.

7. consignment, as to prison.

8. confinement to a mental institution or hospital.

   The psychiatrist recommended commitment.

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

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

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

12. Stock Exchange.

    1. an agreement to buy or sell securities.

    2. a sale or purchase of securities.

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commitment British  

/ kəˈmɪtmənt /

noun

1. the act of committing or pledging

2. the state of being committed or pledged

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

4. the referral of a bill to a committee or legislature

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

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

7. commission or perpetration, esp of a crime

8. a future financial obligation or contingent liability

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Other Word Forms

• noncommitment
  noun
• precommitment
  adjective
• self-commitment
  noun

Etymology

Origin of commitment

First recorded in 1605–15; commit + -ment

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.

Example Sentences

This stubborn defiance is also present in Chambers’ commitment to the “golden age” of decorative art.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

France favours creating a system of groups of producing, processing and consuming nations that share a commitment to implementing good practices.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

Though midfielder Foden has struggled for form in recent months and has not scored since 14 December, a new contract signals a commitment from both parties to continue working together.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

“Policy actions to fundamentally improve JPY’s outlook include a hawkish BOJ to pave the way for positive real yields, a commitment to fiscal discipline, and capital flow measures to improve FX demand-supply imbalance,” Chew adds.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

“Ravenskillians, it has been a trying time in our fair home. I commend you all for your patience, your resilience, and your commitment to your community.”

From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega

Related Words

• engagement
• guarantee
• need
• pledge
• promise
• responsibility