commit

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /kəˈmɪt/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: com‧mit

Verb

Plain form commit

Third-person singular commits

Past tense committed

Past participle committed

Present participle committing

1. (transitive) If you commit something illegal or bad, you do it.

   We have committed no offense and ask to be freed at once.

   The people who have committed this dreadful act should be punished.

2. (transitive & intransitive) If you commit to something, you agree or say that you will do or participate in something.

   The president has committed the government to improving schools.

   We must commit ourselves to the job at hand.

   After committing to the project last year, they are now trying to pull out.

   She wants to get married, but he's not ready to commit.

   The government has committed $10 million towards solving the problem.

3. (transitive) If you commit someone to a place or a process, you send them there, often against their will.

   He was committed to a mental hospital after he tried to kill himself.

   The judge committed him to twelve years for the murder.

4. (transitive) If you commit words or idea to something, you record them there.

   He committed the whole speech to memory.

   She committed her life's story to paper.

Synonyms

• promise
• pledge
• bind

Antonyms

• withdraw
• refuse
• renege

Related words

• committed
• commitment
• uncommitted