commute

1 of 2

verb

com·​mute kə-ˈmyüt 

commuted; commuting

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 

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

• change
• exchange
• shift
• substitute
• swap
• switch
• trade

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

Verb

No one wants to commute for a status update meeting that could have been an email. —Mick Hunt, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025

But the sentence was commuted to life in prison after the state changed its death penalty laws in 1972. —Elaine Aradillas, People.com, 9 Mar. 2025

Noun

The hazardous conditions could impact the Wednesday evening and Thursday morning commutes. —Ca Weather Bot, Sacramento Bee, 12 Mar. 2025

Caltrans and other officials will reassess the situation Thursday to determine if the highway can reopen to residents and businesses with passes by Friday for the morning commute, if not earlier. —Tom Tapp, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2025

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

Rhymes for commute

• acute
• aleut
• astute
• beetroot
• breadfruit
• cheroot
• compute
• confute
• dilute
• dispute
• elute
• grapefruit

Kids Definition

commute

1 of 2 verb

com·​mute kə-ˈmyüt 

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 

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 

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 

noun

commutative

kə-ˈmyü-tə-tiv, ˈkä-myə-ˌtā-tiv 

adjective