commitment

commitment — noun

1. A serious promise or agreement to carry out a future action or to support a pers

1.nounB1
Definition

A serious promise or agreement to carry out a future action or to support a person, group, or plan.

Example

Priya made a commitment to attend all the team meetings this month.

collocation: make a commitment

The mayor failed to honor her commitment to build more public parks.

collocation: honor a commitment

Common collocations
  • make a commitment
  • keep a commitment
  • honour/honor a commitment
  • a lifelong commitment
  • a written commitment
  • a serious commitment
  • a commitment to do something
Synonyms
  • pledge

    more formal and stronger than commitment; often used in official or political contexts

  • promise

    less formal than commitment; can be about small everyday things, whereas commitment suggests greater seriousness

  • undertaking

    more formal; emphasizes the task or responsibility being taken on

Antonyms
  • refusal

    the act of saying you will not do something

Grammar Patterns

commitment + to-infinitive

commitment + to + noun phrase

Common Mistakes

I made a commitment for joining the club.
I made a commitment to join the club.
commitment is followed by to + infinitive, not for + gerund.

2. The deep care and steady effort that you put into a task, cause, or activity bec

2.nounB2
Definition

The deep care and steady effort that you put into a task, cause, or activity because you believe it truly matters.

Example

Leila's commitment to her students is visible in the extra help she gives after class.

pattern: commitment to + [person/group]

Running a marathon takes months of training and serious commitment.

Common collocations
  • show commitment
  • demonstrate commitment
  • require commitment
  • deep commitment
  • strong commitment
  • real commitment
  • commitment to excellence
Synonyms
  • dedication

    very close in meaning; dedication often emphasizes putting in long hours, while commitment emphasizes emotional attachment

  • devotion

    stronger emotional tone; often used for family, faith, or romantic relationships

  • loyalty

    emphasizes faithfulness and staying with someone or something through difficulties

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

commitment + to + noun phrase

Usage Note

This sense is uncountable and is typically followed by to + noun phrase (e.g., commitment to quality, commitment to the cause). Distinguish from sense 1: sense 2 describes an inner attitude or dedication, not a specific promise or agreement.

Common Mistakes

She has a strong commitment on her work.
She has a strong commitment to her work.
the correct preposition is to, not on.

3. A duty, task, or planned activity that you have agreed to do and that takes up s

3.nounB2
Definition

A duty, task, or planned activity that you have agreed to do and that takes up some of your time.

Example

With three young children and a full-time job, Rosa has many family commitments.

collocation: family commitments

Work commitments kept Theo at the office until late every evening last week.

collocation: work commitments

Common collocations
  • family commitments
  • work commitments
  • prior commitments
  • personal commitments
  • school commitments
  • have commitments
  • juggle commitments
Synonyms
  • obligation

    more formal; emphasizes a moral or legal duty rather than a planned activity

  • responsibility

    broader than commitment; includes duties you did not choose, whereas a commitment is usually something you agreed to

  • engagement

    more formal; often used for social plans or appointments

Grammar Patterns

possessive + commitment(s)

have commitments

Usage Note

This sense is always countable and often appears with a possessive adjective (my, his, their) or a noun modifier (work, family, school). Distinguish from sense 1: sense 3 focuses on the time-consuming obligation itself, not the act of promising.

Common Mistakes

I have too much commitment this week.
I have too many commitments this week.
in this sense commitment is countable, so use many.

4. An agreement to spend a particular amount of money, often in regular payments, o

4.nounB2
Definition

An agreement to spend a particular amount of money, often in regular payments, or to use resources for a specific purpose.

Example

The company made a commitment of five million dollars to the new research centre.

pattern: commitment of [amount] to [project]

Signing a three-year lease is a significant financial commitment.

collocation: financial commitment

Common collocations
  • financial commitment
  • a commitment of [amount]
  • make a commitment
  • long-term commitment
  • a contractual commitment
  • capital commitment
  • budget commitment
Synonyms
  • financial pledge

    more formal; often used for donations or fund-raising

  • allocation

    focuses on the act of setting aside money or resources, rather than promising to do so

Grammar Patterns

commitment + of + amount + to + noun phrase

Usage Note

Common in business, finance, and government contexts. When uncountable it refers to the act of promising resources (e.g., the commitment of funds). When countable it refers to a specific financial pledge (e.g., a commitment of £2 million).

Common Mistakes

They made a commitment of invest five million.
They made a commitment of five million dollars.
the pattern is commitment of + amount, not commitment of + verb.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

Commitment, dedication, devotion, and loyalty all describe a strong attachment to someone or something, but they differ in focus. Commitment emphasizes the deliberate choice to keep investing time and energy, even when it is difficult — it is about follow-through. Dedication focuses more on the consistent effort and hard work put in; a dedicated person spends long hours on the task. Devotion has a warmer, more emotional feel; it suggests deep love or heartfelt care, often used for family, faith, or relationships. Loyalty stresses faithfulness and staying with someone or something through challenges, particularly in group or team contexts. For example: 'Leila shows great commitment to her students by preparing extra materials.' 'She is dedicated to her craft, practising every morning.' 'His devotion to his elderly mother is touching.' 'The soldiers showed loyalty to their country even in difficult times.'

dedication ↗devotion ↗loyalty ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • level of commitment
  • sense of commitment
  • degree of commitment
  • lack of commitment

Adverbs

  • deeply committed
  • fully committed
  • truly committed
  • genuinely committed

Phrases

  • make a commitment to
  • show a commitment to
  • demonstrate a commitment to
  • require a commitment from
  • honour a commitment to

Prepositions

  • commitment to
  • commitment of
  • commitment towards

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word commitment entered English in the 14th century from Old French 'commetre', which came from Latin 'committere' — formed from 'com-' (together) and 'mittere' (to send or let go). Originally it meant 'to bring together' or 'to entrust'. The noun form emerged in the 17th century, carrying the idea of a formal promise or act of entrusting. Over time the meaning broadened from the legal act of sending someone to prison (still used in US law) to the general sense of a pledge, dedication, or obligation that we use today.