committed
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of committed
First recorded in 1840–45; commit ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
Explanation
If you're committed to something, you're pledged or obligated to do it. If you’ve already jumped out of the plane, you’re committed to your skydive — there’s no turning back! When you're committed to a partner as you are in a marriage or a domestic partnership, it means that you're associated with them exclusively and not with anyone else. Often during wedding ceremonies or vow renewals, you will hear the parties recite a phrase confirming that they are committed to each other, such as "I take you...to have and to hold...to love and to cherish, from this day forward, until death do us part."
Vocabulary lists containing committed
Bush's Address on 9/11
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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.
In 2022, Merck committed to jointly developing and splitting potential profits from the cancer vaccine.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
“There is no evidence that can sustain our participation in any criminal conduct. I have not committed any crimes,” he said on X.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
“This is an understandably difficult time for our Escondido employees and community, and we’re committed to supporting them through this transition,” Keeling said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
They were committed but lacked much resembling a goal threat.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
Philip K. Dick’s characters are jailed for crimes before they’ve committed them.
From "Black Brother, Black Brother" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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.
