commit

Definition of commitnext
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2
as in to pledge
to obligate by prior agreement we were committed to finishing the project

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word commit distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of commit are confide, consign, entrust, and relegate. While all these words mean "to assign to a person or place for a definite purpose," commit may express the general idea of delivering into another's charge or the special sense of transferring to a superior power or to a special place of custody.

committed the felon to prison

When can confide be used instead of commit?

In some situations, the words confide and commit are roughly equivalent. However, confide implies entrusting with great assurance or reliance.

confided complete control of my affairs to my attorney

When could consign be used to replace commit?

The meanings of consign and commit largely overlap; however, consign suggests removing from one's control with formality or finality.

consigned the damaging notes to the fire

In what contexts can entrust take the place of commit?

The words entrust and commit can be used in similar contexts, but entrust implies committing with trust and confidence.

the president is entrusted with broad powers

Where would relegate be a reasonable alternative to commit?

While the synonyms relegate and commit are close in meaning, relegate implies a consigning to a particular class or sphere often with a suggestion of getting rid of.

relegated to an obscure position in the company

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of commit An Austrian court has convicted a man who was charged last year in connection with a plot to commit an act of mass terror at a Taylor Swift Eras Tour show in Vienna in August 2024, the Associated Press reports. Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 29 May 2026 Speak gently and commit to a doable action. Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 29 May 2026 Penn State commit Jamir Dean is the lone flip target. Jeff Sentell, AJC.com, 29 May 2026 Before the recess, Senate Republicans pressed acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to agree to restrictions on where the fund’s taxpayer money could go — such as barring people who had assaulted police officers and committed other violent offenses during 2021’s Capitol riot. Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for commit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commit
Verb
  • It’s all perfectly executed—just don’t expect taverna prices.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
  • Mexico's Attorney General's Office, known as the FGR, announced the discovery Saturday following a search warrant executed at a property in the Nueva Tijuana neighborhood of Tijuana, Baja California.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • Hudson Williams, the Canadian sweetheart behind the smash hit Heated Rivalry, has pledged his allegiance to the English department.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
  • Escalona, who recently replaced Commissioner Joe Carollo, pledged on the campaign trail last year that one of his first legislative items would be creating an online salary portal.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 May 2026
Verb
  • People leaving Los Angeles and California are raising the cost of living in some red states after years of relocating from the left-leaning state.
    Lindsay Kornick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
  • Panish said Grossman then struck the two older boys at nearly 73 mph, sending Mark 252 feet down the road and leaving a Mercedes grille pattern on his body.
    Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • The 36-year-old was jailed for most of his life.
    Marianne Love, Daily News, 4 June 2026
  • If others remain jailed, Lukashenko keeps something to trade later.
    Tatsiana Kulakevich, The Conversation, 4 June 2026
Verb
  • The machine’s repertoire included answers to 12 riddles, passages from books, and laughing, crying and kissing sounds, as well as arias sung in both male and female voices—all feats that Edison’s phonograph would one day be able to accomplish by recording and playing back the human voice.
    Ron Cowen, Scientific American, 3 June 2026
  • Rory McIlroy There isn’t much left for Rory to accomplish in golf after winning the grand slam at last year’s Masters.
    Geoff Clark OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • Large insurers such as UnitedHealthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Kaiser Permanente and Humana have vowed to reduce the use of prior authorizations.
    Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 29 May 2026
  • Amid an ongoing trade war with the US, Carney has vowed to double Canadian ⁠exports to other markets in the next decade and signed ​more ⁠than 20 economic and security deals in the last year.
    Reuters May 28, CNN Money, 29 May 2026
Verb
  • Tovar ambushed Kilian’s first offering, pulling a two-run homer over the left-field fence to hand the Giants their fourth straight loss.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 30 May 2026
  • If the 5 in 5 rule means the clock is ticking on their college eligibility as soon as they’re handed a high school diploma, more Minnesota kids are likely to leave the prep ranks early.
    Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 29 May 2026
Verb
  • Ordinary Belarusians who took part in protests were rounded up and prosecuted, landing hundreds in the country’s notoriously brutal jails, while key opposition figures were imprisoned or forced into exile.
    Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 30 May 2026
  • Shirilla, who is currently imprisoned in the Ohio Reformatory for Women, will be eligible for parole in 2037.
    Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 29 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Commit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commit. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.

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