commit

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as in to pledge
to obligate by prior agreement we were committed to finishing the project

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word commit distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of commit are confide, consign, entrust, and relegate. While all these words mean "to assign to a person or place for a definite purpose," commit may express the general idea of delivering into another's charge or the special sense of transferring to a superior power or to a special place of custody.

committed the felon to prison

When can confide be used instead of commit?

In some situations, the words confide and commit are roughly equivalent. However, confide implies entrusting with great assurance or reliance.

confided complete control of my affairs to my attorney

When could consign be used to replace commit?

The meanings of consign and commit largely overlap; however, consign suggests removing from one's control with formality or finality.

consigned the damaging notes to the fire

In what contexts can entrust take the place of commit?

The words entrust and commit can be used in similar contexts, but entrust implies committing with trust and confidence.

the president is entrusted with broad powers

Where would relegate be a reasonable alternative to commit?

While the synonyms relegate and commit are close in meaning, relegate implies a consigning to a particular class or sphere often with a suggestion of getting rid of.

relegated to an obscure position in the company

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of commit Two other members of the team were arrested Sunday and given preliminary charges Wednesday of criminal conspiracy and theft committed by an organized gang. Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025 New Heights is committed not only to students in the classroom but the whole person and their responsibilities with families and challenges in life that some people might take for granted, Berry said. Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2025 Among the 18 players around the league who entered Thursday with 30 or more total assists this season, Mitchell has committed the fewest total turnovers with just six turnovers to his 33 assists. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025 Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has committed $10 billion to protect nature and address climate change. Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for commit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commit
Verb
  • Pic follows the young protégé of a legendary crime boss, secretly an undercover cop, who is executed before revealing a file that exposes the city’s entire web of corruption.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Hudson, though, reserves her praise for the 16,000 people who execute the organization’s global mission.
    Angelique Jackson, Variety, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • He was released after a few weeks in jail when filmmaker Jen Gatien pledged her $2 million Manhattan apartment where the combat veteran was living as collateral for a bond.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2025
  • Lai has pledged to increase military spending to 5% of GDP by 2030, strengthening the island’s defenses in the face of a rising threat from its giant neighbor China.
    Reuters, NBC news, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Bagsmart Tech Organizer Nothing feels messier than cords tangled at the bottom of your bag mid-travel day, which is why this smart tech organizer never leaves my suitcase.
    Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2025
  • After September’s move, Kalshi traders quickly repriced the rest of 2025, concentrating on a two-cut scenario (October and December) and leaving a tail for only one more cut or, less likely, a larger November–December adjustment.
    Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Others wondered if he would be jailed.
    Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Beckerink is currently jailed in Michigan, where he was sentenced to three months on domestic violence charges related to incidents that occurred at Tracey’s home in 2024, the station reported.
    Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Directed by British filmmaker and frequent collaborator Nick Wickham (Madonna, Shakira) the film will chronicle the album’s release date unveiling at the intimate Troxy nightclub in London, where the goth rock legends performed the entire record for the first and only time to date.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 3 Nov. 2025
  • When the immune system ages, immune cells become less able to perform crucial functions like fighting infection, destroying cancer cells and healing wounds, according to Rhodes, who is also the CEO and co-founder of Mimio Health in San Francisco.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Kennedy vowed early in his tenure as HHS secretary to get to the root causes of Autism, as the disorder has been drastically rising since the early 2000s.
    Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 28 Oct. 2025
  • The political gesture didn’t mesh well with the Israeli culture and sports minister Miki Zohar, who immediately vowed to cut funding for the Israeli Film Academy’s Ophir Awards.
    Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Finally, there’s the fact that the Blazers are handing him the gig, with Clingan playing 30 minutes in the opener against Minnesota.
    John Hollinger, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • With 43 seconds on the clock and a timeout in his back pocket, Albin chose the conservative route, handing the ball off twice and forgoing a Hail Mary to send the game to the half knotted up.
    Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Mike, beginning in Sunday’s first episode, must confront the limitations of his power when his younger brother Kyle (Taylor Handley) is imprisoned.
    Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Some of them have been called, held to account and even imprisoned.
    Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Commit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commit. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.

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