commuted; commuting
1
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
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)
He commutes 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
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
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
Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024
Natalie Bara, president of the FBI Agents Association, said she's heard from two or three agents sharing an apartment near New York City, and others who commute four hours each day, back and forth to their field offices.
—Carrie Johnson, NPR, 11 Apr. 2024
Some of Sweeney's students attended Oxford High and would sometimes commute to Pontiac for his classes; a few were in his classroom in Pontiac at the time of the shooting in Oxford.
—Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 31 Mar. 2024
Adding a few of these steps into your routine can prevent things from getting worse, and, hopefully, make your school pickup days or work commute a tad more tolerable.
—Ashley Abramson, SELF, 25 Mar. 2024
Many workers complain that commuting to the office would cost them precious time with their families and pets, not to mention extra money for fuel, parking, extra family vehicles and child care.
—Maya Miller, Sacramento Bee, 22 Mar. 2024
Leaving home and commuting to work establishes a physical boundary, which can be crucial for mental well-being.
—Ebony Flake, Essence, 21 Mar. 2024
Reviewers have noted that the Studio 3 pair is best for travelling and commuting, thanks to strong noise cancellation, a comfortable and adjustable fit and long battery life.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 20 Mar. 2024
More than 30,000 Marylanders commuted on the Francis Scott Key Bridge every day, Moore said.
—Holly Yan, CNN, 26 Mar. 2024
Chris Velazco, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
The pinch point causes traffic delays of up to an hour during the westbound morning commute and up to 100 minutes during the eastbound evening commute.
—Adrian Rodriguez, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024
Buyers working in metro Denver and Colorado Springs pushed up prices in Bennett, Strasburg, Limon and Hugo, trading affordability for a long commute before the pandemic.
—Aldo Svaldi, The Denver Post, 16 Apr. 2024
How will traffic affect drivers on I-94? People driving to the concert should give themselves plenty of time to drive in, especially on April 12 during the Friday evening commute.
—Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024
Its edges are quickly becoming dense suburban communities filled with residents seeking affordable housing and a reasonable commute to work in the state's largest cities.
—Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 8 Apr. 2024
The National Weather Service says the region could see 1-2 inches per hour through the morning commute and while the heaviest snow will diminish by midday, snow showers are expected to linger through Saturday.
—Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
In the capital, Taipei, children were seen going to school and the morning commute appeared normal.
—Louis Casiano, Fox News, 3 Apr. 2024
Schedule your commute to avoid crowded train cars or extreme temperatures (e.g., a hot yoga class) that may leave you light-headed.
—Madeleine Burry, Health, 3 Apr. 2024
Verb
Carter White, a Richmond resident who commutes to Davis for work and often stops by River Cats games afterward, waited patiently for a teenage girl in a cowboy hat to finish a rendition of the national anthem on the field as some fans clutched their chests and sang along.
—Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024
Natalie Bara, president of the FBI Agents Association, said she's heard from two or three agents sharing an apartment near New York City, and others who commute four hours each day, back and forth to their field offices.
—Carrie Johnson, NPR, 11 Apr. 2024
Some of Sweeney's students attended Oxford High and would sometimes commute to Pontiac for his classes; a few were in his classroom in Pontiac at the time of the shooting in Oxford.
—Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 31 Mar. 2024
Adding a few of these steps into your routine can prevent things from getting worse, and, hopefully, make your school pickup days or work commute a tad more tolerable.
—Ashley Abramson, SELF, 25 Mar. 2024
Many workers complain that commuting to the office would cost them precious time with their families and pets, not to mention extra money for fuel, parking, extra family vehicles and child care.
—Maya Miller, Sacramento Bee, 22 Mar. 2024
Leaving home and commuting to work establishes a physical boundary, which can be crucial for mental well-being.
—Ebony Flake, Essence, 21 Mar. 2024
Reviewers have noted that the Studio 3 pair is best for travelling and commuting, thanks to strong noise cancellation, a comfortable and adjustable fit and long battery life.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 20 Mar. 2024
More than 30,000 Marylanders commuted on the Francis Scott Key Bridge every day, Moore said.
—Holly Yan, CNN, 26 Mar. 2024
Noun
One of the first shortcuts Robles ever made could come in handy for anyone with a long commute.
—Chris Velazco, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
The pinch point causes traffic delays of up to an hour during the westbound morning commute and up to 100 minutes during the eastbound evening commute.
—Adrian Rodriguez, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024
Buyers working in metro Denver and Colorado Springs pushed up prices in Bennett, Strasburg, Limon and Hugo, trading affordability for a long commute before the pandemic.
—Aldo Svaldi, The Denver Post, 16 Apr. 2024
How will traffic affect drivers on I-94? People driving to the concert should give themselves plenty of time to drive in, especially on April 12 during the Friday evening commute.
—Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024
Its edges are quickly becoming dense suburban communities filled with residents seeking affordable housing and a reasonable commute to work in the state's largest cities.
—Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 8 Apr. 2024
The National Weather Service says the region could see 1-2 inches per hour through the morning commute and while the heaviest snow will diminish by midday, snow showers are expected to linger through Saturday.
—Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
In the capital, Taipei, children were seen going to school and the morning commute appeared normal.
—Louis Casiano, Fox News, 3 Apr. 2024
Schedule your commute to avoid crowded train cars or extreme temperatures (e.g., a hot yoga class) that may leave you light-headed.
—Madeleine Burry, Health, 3 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'commute.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near commute
Cite this Entry
“Commute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commute. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
commuter
noun
commute
2 of 2 noun1
: an act or instance of commuting
the morning commute to work
2
: the distance covered in commuting
a long commute
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