committed

committed — adjective

1. Someone who is committed to a person, cause, or activity gives them steady suppo

1.adjectiveC2
Definition

Someone who is committed to a person, cause, or activity gives them steady support and effort because they believe in that person or thing.

Example

Dr. Okafor has been a committed member of the hospital board for over twenty years.

attributive: committed member of [group]

The charity needs committed volunteers who can work every Saturday morning.

attributive: committed + noun (volunteers)

Common collocations
  • committed member
  • committed supporter
  • committed volunteer
  • committed teacher
  • committed environmentalist
  • committed Christian
  • deeply committed to
  • strongly committed to
  • committed to the cause
Synonyms
  • dedicated

    Nearly identical; dedicated often emphasizes single-minded focus on a goal, while committed also carries a sense of obligation.

  • devoted

    Adds personal affection and emotional warmth that committed does not necessarily include.

  • loyal

    Stresses not abandoning someone or something, especially through difficulty.

  • faithful

    Focuses on reliability and keeping promises over a long period.

Antonyms
  • uncommitted

    The direct opposite; not giving support or effort.

  • indifferent

    Lacking interest or concern, whereas committed implies strong positive engagement.

Grammar Patterns

committed + to + noun/gerund

committed + noun

Usage Note

This sense can appear before a noun (a committed teacher) or after the verb be (She is committed to her students). When used predicatively, it is always followed by to.

Common Mistakes

She is committed with her work.
She is committed to her work.
The adjective committed takes the preposition to, not with.
He is committed for improving the system.
He is committed to improving the system.
Use to, not for, before a gerund that describes the aim.

2. If a person or organization is committed to a particular plan or action, they ha

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

If a person or organization is committed to a particular plan or action, they have formally agreed to take part in it and intend to follow through.

Example

The company is committed to reducing its carbon emissions by forty percent.

predicative: is committed to + gerund (reducing)

Both sides are committed to reaching a peace agreement before the end of the year.

Common collocations
  • committed to the plan
  • committed to the project
  • committed to the agreement
  • committed to achieving
  • committed to ensuring
  • fully committed to
  • publicly committed to
Synonyms
  • pledged

    Emphasizes the formal act of making a promise more explicitly than committed does.

  • bound

    Suggests being tied by obligation or duty, often with less emphasis on personal willingness.

  • obligated

    Focuses on moral or legal duty rather than a voluntary promise.

Antonyms
  • uncommitted

    Not yet having made a pledge or promise about a plan.

  • free

    Not bound by any promise or obligation to act.

Grammar Patterns

be + committed + to + noun/gerund

Usage Note

This sense is used only after a verb (predicative position) — you cannot say a committed plan. It emphasizes a formal or definite promise about a specific future action. Distinguish from sense 1 (LOYAL & DEDICATED): sense 1 describes a general character of loyalty, while sense 2 refers to a concrete pledge tied to a particular plan.

Common Mistakes

The team is committed to win the match.
The team is committed to winning the match.
After committed to in this sense, use the gerund (-ing form), not the base verb.

Word family

  • commit
    verbB1
  • commitment
    nounB2
  • uncommitted
    adjectiveC1
  • noncommittal
    adjectiveC1
  • committal
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Committed and dedicated are the closest pair, but dedicated often highlights giving time and focus to a single goal, whereas committed also carries a sense of duty or promise alongside the effort. Devoted adds personal affection and emotional warmth — you might describe a spouse as devoted, but an employee as committed. Loyal stresses remaining steadfast even when it would be easier to leave, making it the best word for describing support through difficult times. Faithful emphasizes dependability and promise-keeping over the long term. In practice: a colleague who always helps is committed; a friend who never gossips about you is loyal; a dog that waits by the door is faithful; a parent who sacrifices personal time is devoted.

dedicated ↗devoted ↗loyal ↗faithful ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • to the cause
  • to the relationship
  • to the project
  • to the goal

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Committed comes from the Latin verb committere, meaning 'to join together' or 'to entrust.' The prefix com- means 'together,' and mittere means 'to send.' In Latin it was used for joining things physically, then for entrusting a task to someone. Old French took it as cometre, and English adopted it as commit. By the 1500s, commit meant 'to pledge oneself,' and by the 1600s the adjective committed described someone bound by a promise or showing loyal dedication.