If you’re stuck between committed and commited, the answer is simple: committed is the standard spelling (✅), and commited is a misspelling (❌). The confusion usually comes from the double “t” rule that shows up in words like committing and commitment.
Straight Answer
In standard English, the spelling keeps the double “t” from the base verb commit when forming committed and committing.
Which Spelling Is Correct
The correct form is committed (✅). The version commited (❌) drops a letter and doesn’t match standard dictionary spelling. You’ll see committed used as both a verb form (past / past participle) and an adjective (meaning “dedicated”). ✅Source
✅ Correct: committed keeps the double “t” that shows up across the same word family, including committing and commitment.
Why the Double “T” Happens
English often doubles a final consonant when a word ends in a single vowel + single consonant pattern and the stress sits on the last syllable. That’s why commit becomes committed and committing, with a double “t” before vowel-starting endings like -ed and -ing.
- Spelling shape: a single vowel followed by a single final consonant (the CVC feel).
- Stress: the accent lands on the last syllable (as in com-MIT).
- Suffix: the ending begins with a vowel (common ones are -ed, -ing, -al).
This same pattern explains spellings like preferred, regretted, and transmitted, while words where the stress isn’t final may keep a single consonant (for example targeted and benefited). ✅Source
Meaning in Everyday Use
Committed shows up in everyday English in a few safe, common ways. Most of the time it signals dedication or a clear decision, and it often pairs naturally with to (as in “committed to”).
“Committed” as Dedicated
Committed can describe a person or group that gives serious time and energy to something.
- committed team members
- committed volunteers
- committed to quality
“Committed” as Allocated
Committed can also mean resources were set aside or assigned for a purpose.
- committed budget
- committed time
- committed support
Grammar Role
Committed can be a past tense verb, a past participle, or an adjective. The spelling stays the same across those roles, which is why the missing “t” version commited looks off in all of them.
| Role | Form | What It Signals | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base verb | commit | the core action | They commit resources to the plan. |
| -ing form | committing | ongoing action | She is committing time every week. |
| Past tense | committed | finished action | They committed early and stayed consistent. |
| Past participle | committed | used with “have/has/had” | We have committed the budget already. |
| Noun | commitment | the state of being bound/dedicated | Consistency shows commitment. |
| Adjective | committed | describes dedication | A committed group can move fast. |
The double “t” isn’t decoration. It’s part of the standard pattern that connects committed, committing, and commitment back to commit.
Common Lookalikes
The double-letter pattern in committed often gets mixed up with other words that behave the same way. Seeing the family resemblance helps the spelling feel less random, and it keeps commited from sneaking in.
Words That Double the Final Consonant
- admit → admitted
- omit → omitted
- prefer → preferred
- occur → occurred
Words That Usually Keep a Single Consonant
- target → targeted
- benefit → benefited
- focus → focused
- open → opened
Examples
These pairs show the spelling contrast clearly. The committed lines are standard (✅), and the commited lines are marked as incorrect (❌). Notice how the double “t” stays stable across the same sentence shapes.
FAQ
Questions People Ask About committed vs commited
Is commited ever correct?
No. In standard English spelling, committed is the accepted form (✅), and commited is treated as a misspelling (❌).
Why does commit turn into committed with two “t”s?
Because the word fits a common consonant-doubling pattern: the stress is on the last syllable in com-MIT, and endings like -ed and -ing begin with a vowel, so the final consonant doubles to keep pronunciation stable.
Is it spelled differently in American and British English?
For this word, no. Both major varieties use committed with a double “t”. The single-“t” version commited is not standard in either.
Does the “double t” show up in related forms too?
Yes. The same spelling family includes committing and commitment, which also keep the double “t”.
Is committed always a verb?
No. committed can be a verb form (past tense or past participle) and it can also be an adjective meaning “dedicated” (for example, a committed team).
Does committed need “to” after it?
Not always. The phrase committed to is common, but committed also works directly before nouns as an adjective, like committed employees or a committed group.