commitment

[ kuh-mit-muhnt ]

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.

commitment

/ 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

Other Words From

• noncom·mitment noun
• precom·mitment adjective
• self-com·mitment noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of commitment¹

First recorded in 1605–15; commit + -ment

Example Sentences

That’s why it is so important to have public commitments of the government with the data protection law.

From MIT Technology Review

Scarane has focused instead on his support for Senate supermajority rules and questioned his commitment to supporting liberal judges.

From Washington Post

What is required is to match commitment to broader responsibility of corporations to society with a power structure that backs it up.

From Fortune

We commend all of the HEI participants for their commitment to providing inclusive care for all.

From Washington Blade

Freed from the commitment of travel, we’ve already signed up an impressive group of CEOs including Marriott’s Arne Sorenson, Beth Ford of Land O’Lakes, Brian Cornell of Target, Deanna Mulligan of Guadian Life, and GE’s Larry Culp.

From Fortune

But the qualities Mario Cuomo brought to public life—compassion, integrity, commitment to principle—remain in short supply today.

From The Daily Beast

Marriage is a bond and a commitment—marrying yourself is ridiculous because you are already married to yourself.

From The Daily Beast

We need a real commitment to make the film in order to get this going.

From The Daily Beast

It was a personal thing she was working towards, and I felt very invested as well seeing her level of commitment.

From The Daily Beast

“To see him make that commitment, and then the fact that he wanted to make sure his kids were baptized, speaks volumes,” Lee said.

From The Daily Beast

He gave me a long account of his Coventry affairs, and of the commitment of the sheriffs to Newgate.

From Project Gutenberg

I am still in my little cell awaiting what comes and have not heard much yet regarding commitment, but hope it may come in time.

From Project Gutenberg

He is reported to have behaved, during the whole journey and at his commitment, with great calmness and propriety.

From Project Gutenberg

Whereupon I was taken again to prison, and there kept till the time of my commitment for six months was expired.

From Project Gutenberg

Commitment to another person is a courageous act, and it is no wonder that we sometimes recoil from it.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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