commitment
Americannoun
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the act of committing.
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the state of being committed.
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the act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself.
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a pledge or promise; obligation.
We have made a commitment to pay our bills on time.
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They have a sincere commitment to religion.
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perpetration or commission, as of a crime.
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consignment, as to prison.
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confinement to a mental institution or hospital.
The psychiatrist recommended commitment.
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an order, as by a court or judge, confining a person to a mental institution or hospital.
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Law. a written order of a court directing that someone be confined in prison; mittimus.
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Parliamentary Procedure. the act of referring or entrusting to a committee for consideration.
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Stock Exchange.
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an agreement to buy or sell securities.
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a sale or purchase of securities.
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noun
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the act of committing or pledging
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the state of being committed or pledged
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an obligation, promise, etc that restricts one's freedom of action
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the referral of a bill to a committee or legislature
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Also called (esp formerly): mittimus. law a written order of a court directing that a person be imprisoned
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the official consignment of a person to a mental hospital or prison
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commission or perpetration, esp of a crime
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a future financial obligation or contingent liability
Other Word Forms
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
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"Creativity at Work" and "The Hidden Secrets of the Creative Mind"
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History is made in PA: Clinton's DNC Acceptance Speech
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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.
He did admit that the time commitment of a Broadway run does give him pause.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
Her early success "only intensified her commitment to stand by the common man - squatting with vendors, arriving wherever there was trouble, dressing simply and making it her hallmark style".
From BBC • May 5, 2026
Markets will look for any potential of a weaker commitment to government spending rules, Hickmore said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
Boneparth suggests matching your level of disclosure to your level of commitment.
From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026
A commitment to color consciousness, by contrast, places faith in our capacity as humans to show care and concern for others, even as we are fully cognizant of race and possible racial differences.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
