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.
Zapatero has consistently denied ever having received any payments from Plus Ultra or having committed any wrongdoing.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
"We remain firmly committed to supporting our veterans and to the delivery of truth, recovery, reconciliation, and closure."
From BBC • May 18, 2026
When a larger share of income is committed to fixed costs, even similar disposable income feels more constrained.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
Rae Burrell committed her fifth personal with 4:33 left in the third and Kia Nurse made both free throws to give the Tempo their largest lead, 65-49.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
She’d been so excited when I’d committed, and I hated to disappoint her now.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
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.
