What does “commit” mean?
- 1
verbto do something wrong or illegal
He was accused of committing fraud.
- 2
verbto promise firmly to do something or give time, money or loyalty to it
The company has committed to cutting emissions by half.
- 3
verbto officially send someone to prison or a hospital
The judge committed him to a psychiatric hospital.
Commit at a glance
- Part of speech
- verb
- CEFR level
- B2 (upper intermediate)
- Pronunciation
- /kəˈmɪt/ · kuh-MIT
- Forms
- committed, committing
How to use “commit” correctly
Double the t: “committed”, “committing”. After “commit to”, use a noun or -ing: “commit to improving”, not “commit to improve”.
Common phrases with “commit”
- commit a crime
- commit suicide
- commit to sth
- commit resources
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- perpetrate
- pledge
- promise
Word family
- commitment
- committed
- committee
“commit” is on these word lists
Learn these words next
- conduct verbB2to organize and carry out an activity such as research, a survey or an interview
- fight verbA2to use physical force against someone, or to take part in a war
- force nounB1physical strength or violence
- generate verbB2to produce or create something such as energy, income or interest
- grant verbB2to officially give or allow something someone has asked for
- kill verbA2to cause a person, animal or plant to die
- movement nounB1a change of position or place
- obtain verbB2to get something, especially through effort or an official process