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

It is unclear if the Warner commitment has increased his pledged shares—companies typically disclose pledges once a year with their annual proxy statements.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

And though the show was perfectly competent, it had a definite cash-the-check vibe, as though Malone were putting in the least possible work to satisfy his commitment.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 27, 2026

Chris Newman, director of the National Centre for Reptile Welfare, said people often underestimated the level of commitment required to own an axolotl, including not realising they can live for up to 20 years.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

During the McCarthy Era, the government formalized some of the rules governing naturalization, requiring immigrants to prove their commitment to the Constitution and mandating no memberships of “subversive” organizations within the previous five years.

From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026

“I’m impressed with their commitment to the project and each other.”

From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty

Related Words

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