commute

1 of 2

verb

com·​mute kə-ˈmyüt 

commuted; commuting

transitive verb

1

a

: change, alter

b

: to give in exchange for another : exchange

commuting foreign currency to domestic

2

: to convert (something, such as a payment) into another form

The periodic payments may be commuted into a lump sum.

3

: to change (a penalty) to another less severe

commute a death sentence to life in prison

4

: commutate

intransitive verb

1

: make up, compensate

commuted for her sins

2

: to pay in gross (see gross entry 3 sense 1)

3

: to travel back and forth regularly (as between a suburb and a city)

They commute to work every day by car.

4

: to yield the same mathematical result regardless of order

—used of two elements undergoing an operation or of two operations on elements

commutable

kə-ˈmyü-tə-bəl 

adjective

commute

2 of 2

noun

1

: an act or an instance of commuting

2

: the distance covered in commuting

a long commute

Did you know?

When you commute between a suburb and a city, you're "exchanging" one location for another. When a chief executive substitutes a life sentence for the death sentence handed down by a court, he or she is commuting the original sentence. Most such commutations are the result of the prisoner's good behavior. A commutator is a device in many electric motors that regularly changes alternating current to direct current.

Synonyms of commute

Verb

• exchange
• trade
• swap
• change
• substitute

Examples of commute in a Sentence

Verb

He commutes to work every day by train.

She commutes 400 miles a week.

The judge commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

His administration set up a public-facing dashboard tracking how much carbon dioxide commuting state workers were not adding to the atmosphere by working from home. — William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 23 June 2026

Because of travel restrictions, the Iranian team has been based in Tijuana, Mexico – a stone’s throw from the US border – throughout the tournament and is commuting to the United States for games, drawing complaints from Iran’s coach and players. — Deva Lee, CNN Money, 22 June 2026

Noun

Affluent suburbs tend to sit a good distance from the urban center but close enough for a sane commute. — Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 24 June 2026

In the sale, there is something for every upcoming occasion, whether that be packing for vacation or outfitting for a sweaty commute. — Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 24 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Latin commutare to change, exchange, from com- + mutare to change — more at mutable

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1954, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for commute

• acute
• aleut
• astute
• beetroot
• breadfruit
• cheroot
• compute
• confute
• dilute
• dispute
• elute
• grapefruit

Kids Definition

commute

1 of 2 verb

com·​mute kə-ˈmyüt 

commuted; commuting

1

: exchange entry 2

especially : to change a penalty to another one that is less severe

commute a death sentence to life imprisonment

2

: to travel back and forth regularly

commutable

-ˈmyüt-ə-bəl 

adjective

commuter noun

commute

2 of 2 noun

1

: an act or instance of commuting

the morning commute to work

2

: the distance covered in commuting

a long commute

Legal Definition

commute

transitive verb

com·​mute kə-ˈmyüt 

commuted; commuting

1

: to convert (as a payment) into another form

2

: to change (a penalty) to one less severe especially out of clemency compare pardon

commutation

ˌkä-myə-ˈtā-shən 

noun

commutative

kə-ˈmyü-tə-tiv, ˈkä-myə-ˌtā-tiv 

adjective