commute

1 of 2

verb

com·​mute kə-ˈmyüt How to pronounce commute (audio)
commuted; commuting
Synonyms of commutenext

transitive verb

1
a
: change, alter
b
: to give in exchange for another : exchange
commuting foreign currency to domestic
2
: to convert (something, such as a payment) into another form
The periodic payments may be commuted into a lump sum.
3
: to change (a penalty) to another less severe
commute a death sentence to life in prison
4
: commutate

intransitive verb

1
: make up, compensate
commuted for her sins
2
: to pay in gross (see gross entry 3 sense 1)
3
: to travel back and forth regularly (as between a suburb and a city)
He commutes to work every day by car.
4
: to yield the same mathematical result regardless of order
—used of two elements undergoing an operation or of two operations on elements
commutable
kə-ˈmyü-tə-bəl How to pronounce commute (audio)
adjective

commute

2 of 2

noun

1
: an act or an instance of commuting
2
: the distance covered in commuting
a long commute

Did you know?

When you commute between a suburb and a city, you're "exchanging" one location for another. When a chief executive substitutes a life sentence for the death sentence handed down by a court, he or she is commuting the original sentence. Most such commutations are the result of the prisoner's good behavior. A commutator is a device in many electric motors that regularly changes alternating current to direct current.

Synonyms

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of commute in a Sentence

Verb He commutes to work every day by train. She commutes 400 miles a week. The judge commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
As someone who regularly relies on the New York City subway system to commute to work, there’s not much about my morning routine that remains consistent from day to day. — Averi Baudler, People.com, 26 Feb. 2025 So a 12-hour charge will give you 240 to 720 miles’ worth of power — certainly enough for a few days of commuting. — Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
The study pulled data across three weighted categories: Work and home: housing cost index (10%), median family income Index (10%), work from home index (5%), work life balance index (10%), commute travel time index (5%). — Ashley Fredde, Idaho Statesman, 28 Feb. 2025 While its roomy size is well-suited for everything from weekend trips to office commutes, its compact size can be carried for hours at a time without pain. — Averi Baudler, People.com, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for commute

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Latin commutare to change, exchange, from com- + mutare to change — more at mutable

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1954, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of commute was in the 15th century

Rhymes for commute

See All Rhymes for commute

Browse Nearby Words

commute
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Cite this Entry

“Commute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commute. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

commute

1 of 2 verb
com·​mute kə-ˈmyüt How to pronounce commute (audio)
commuted; commuting
1
: exchange entry 2
especially : to change a penalty to another one that is less severe
commute a death sentence to life imprisonment
2
: to travel back and forth regularly
commutable
-ˈmyüt-ə-bəl How to pronounce commute (audio)
adjective
commuter noun

commute

2 of 2 noun
1
: an act or instance of commuting
the morning commute to work
2
: the distance covered in commuting
a long commute

Legal Definition

commute

transitive verb
com·​mute kə-ˈmyüt How to pronounce commute (audio)
commuted; commuting
1
: to convert (as a payment) into another form
2
: to change (a penalty) to one less severe especially out of clemency compare pardon
commutation
ˌkä-myə-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce commute (audio)
noun
commutative
kə-ˈmyü-tə-tiv, ˈkä-myə-ˌtā-tiv How to pronounce commute (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on commute

Nglish: Translation of commute for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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