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

Example Sentences

Amazon made the single largest commitment at up to $50 billion in investment, although it is structured with a $15 billion investment, followed by a $35 billion tranche contingent on certain milestones.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

"His commitment with us is huge but I wanted to give him the opportunity to go now with his national team. For him, it's very important."

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

The nation’s largest bank announced the “American Dream Initiative”—a commitment to support small businesses, homeownership, access to healthcare and other economic priorities that CEO Dimon believes are crucial for the well-being of Americans.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

“The Government of Mexico will exhaust all legal and diplomatic avenues to raise awareness of the current problem and address this case, reiterating its commitment to ensuring the protection and dignity of Mexican citizens abroad.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

Despite Howard Fuller’s personal commitment to confrontational politics, Operation Breakthrough was limited in many ways as an organization.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

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