Definition of commitment
1a : an act of committing to a charge or trust: such as (1) : a consignment to a penal or mental institution filed a petition for commitment (2) : an act of referring a matter to a legislative committeeb : mittimus
2a : an agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison; especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future dateb : something pledged the commitment of troops to the warc : the state or an instance of being obligated or emotionally impelled a commitment to a cause
From the M-W Editors
Examples of commitment in a Sentence
His commitment to both his professions is admirable: currently a professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, he also holds an M.F.A. from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. —Erica Wagner, New York Times Book Review, 8 Feb. 2009
In their mission statement, the editors bragged of their firm commitment to equality and social justice, but their philosophy didn't prevent them from summoning Lindsey to perform all their menial tasks. —Kim Wong Keltner, The Dim Sum Of All Things, 2004
… I actually finished writing two more episodes of the tale before other commitments forced me to shelve it. —Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Aug. 1991
His commitment to a blue-water navy expressed his determination to project power. —George F. Will, Newsweek, 22 Nov. 1982
We've got commitments from several charities to donate food and clothing.
the government's commitment of troops to the region
The church has a commitment to helping the poor.
The boss noticed her strong commitment to her work.
No one doubts your commitment to the cause.
Recent Examples of commitment from the Web
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The day after Bannon spoke, Trump himself came to CPAC and reaffirmed his commitment to this anti-media crusade, parroting Bannon’s language.
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But Mr. Mattis also sought to remind South Koreans of the United States’ past sacrifices for their country and its commitment to their defense.
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During previous American administrations, Israel made a commitment not to build new settlements.
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Osama Abu Zayd said despite Russian renewals of their commitment to the truce agreement, the Iranian field commander in Syria was obstructing the deal.
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The U.S. also has legal commitments to help Taiwan maintain the ability to defend itself.
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The prime minister is concerned about Mr. Trump’s commitment to protecting Japan.
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Still, scraps of conversation carried their love, and multiple coast-to-coast visits renewed their commitment.
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Citigroup’s Mexico investment will be completed in 2020 and comes on the heels of a $1.5 billion commitment made in September 2014.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'commitment'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of commitment
see commit
First Known Use: 1579
COMMITMENT Defined for English Language Learners
commitment
playDefinition of commitment for English Language Learners
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: a promise to do or give something
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: a promise to be loyal to someone or something
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: the attitude of someone who works very hard to do or support something
Medical Dictionary
commitment
playMedical Definition of commitment
: a consignment to a penal or mental institution
Law Dictionary
commitment
Legal Definition of commitment
1 : an act of committing: as a : placement in or assignment to a prison or mental hospital petition for commitment — compare incompetent, interdiction Editor's note: Commitment to a mental health facility is called civil commitment when it is not part of a criminal proceeding. Civil commitment proceedings are initiated by the patient, in the case of voluntary commitment, or by someone (as a family member or government agent) authorized by statute to petition for the patient's involuntary commitment. Some form of a hearing and periodic review is required in involuntary commitment proceedings. A criminal defendant may be committed to a mental hospital as a result of being found incompetent to stand trial, not guilty by reason of insanity, or incompetent to be sentenced. b : an act of referring a matter to a legislative committee c : a warrant committing someone to a prison
2 : an agreement or promise to do something in the future; especially : a promise to assume a financial obligation at a future date cannot meet their loan commitments
Learn More about commitment
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See words that rhyme with commitment Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for commitment Spanish Central: Translation of commitment Nglish: Translation of commitment for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of commitment for Arabic speakers
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