# commit to

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/commit-to
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

To promise to give your time, money, or effort to something. You use this when you make a firm decision to stay with a plan or person.

For teachers: To pledge oneself to a particular course of action, policy, or person. This prepositional verb is transitive and requires a noun phrase or gerund as its object.

## Examples

- I want to commit to a healthier diet this year.
- After several long meetings, the partners finally decided to commit to the new expansion project in Southeast Asia.
- While the government expressed support for the initiative, they were hesitant to commit to a specific timeline for the implementation of the new environmental regulations.

## Pitfalls

- Not "She committed to join the team." but "She committed to joining the team." — The 'to' is a preposition, not an infinitive marker, so it must be followed by a gerund.

## Usage notes

- This phrase is often followed by a noun or a verb ending in '-ing'.
- Teaching tip: Contrast this with the infinitive pattern; learners often mistakenly use 'to + base verb' because they see the word 'to'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.