commitment
Americannoun
-
commitments
plural
-
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.
-
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.
-
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
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Creativity at Work" and "The Hidden Secrets of the Creative Mind"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
History is made in PA: Clinton's DNC Acceptance Speech
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Today’s higher mortgage rates have pushed the cost of buying down the rate by 1 percentage point on that same $100 million forward commitment to $5.4 million.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
To understand the dedication and determination of football players from unbeaten Cleveland High, let’s review the commitment of backup quarterback Julio Avalos.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026
The "AI Hub investment is a multi-decade commitment" carrying "an obligation to be a good neighbour", said Alexander Smith, Google's head of infrastructure and energy for Asia-Pacific.
From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2026
Det Ch Insp Neil Higginson from the force's major incident team said: "This arrest demonstrates our unwavering commitment to securing justice for Junior and Cheriff and their loved ones."
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
Jon shook his head while Fadi shrugged without commitment.
From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai
Singapore-based Antares Ventures said Tuesday that it secured the commitments under the second close of its inaugural closed-end fund, a pooled investment vehicle that deploys capital within a fixed time frame.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
In reaction to the uproar in Burkina over the national team's treatment, match organiser Eurodata Sport issued a terse statement shared online by the AFA that it had "honoured its contractual commitments".
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
The firm has so far secured commitments totaling $7.5 billion, people familiar with the matter said, and plans to use the capital to invest in roughly 10 late-stage companies over the next two years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
Regional leaders have set up the Pacific Resilience Facility with the hopes of raising $500 million, but has so far brought in commitments for less than half of that.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
Hence, even though terrified of political commitments, Bloom had gone out on a limb and it had cost them.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
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.
