despite their commitments

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "despite their commitments" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something occurs or is true regardless of the commitments someone has made. Example: "Despite their commitments, they still found time to volunteer at the local shelter."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

In short, there has been no attempt to reduce the role of nuclear weapons in the military and security doctrines of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, despite their commitments under the NPT.

The Economist

Despite their commitments, they left Gunnar to fend for himself, pulling the financial rug right out from under his dream.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Despite their commitment and ideals, they had to defend their decision to stay.

The New York Times

The inspectors placed the blame firmly at the governors' door, saying: "Despite their commitment to the vision for the school, the governors have failed the parents of this community who have placed their trust in them".

The Guardian

In his speech to Demos on Tuesday, the shadow chancellor George Osborne claimed that the Conservatives were the progressive force in British politics – despite their commitment to restrain public spending.

The Guardian - Opinion

"Failures in leadership and management are at the heart of the school's dysfunctional situation," the Ofsted report said, adding: "Despite their commitment to the vision for the school, the governors have failed the parents of this community who have placed their trust in them".

The Guardian

Asked whether Mr. Arafat could use those funds to purchase weapons, the Arab League general secretary, Amr Moussa, avoided a direct answer and said, "Fifty-five millionots not even enough to buy food, how could they buy weapons?" Despite their commitment to a peace strategy, the Arab ministers made two decisions indicating they were considering stronger collective action.

The New York Times

In a poll in May, nearly 40% of Serbs agreed that their leader, while imperfect, was a better bet than any of his foes.This suggests that, despite their commitment to the "smart sanctions" that are meant to squeeze the guilty while sparing the innocent, the EU and other western institutions have failed to get their message across to the Serbs over the head of their leader.

The Economist

So why, one may ask, do so many Augustinians, despite their commitment to a retributive theory of punishment, insist that God could justly condemn even infants on account of their supposedly inherited guilt?

SEP

Despite their commitment to the principle of "inclusive care," or moral concern for all, the Mohists evidently agree with the commonsense view that we have a greater moral responsibility toward those with whom we have close personal relationships, and in practice we should care for them first.

SEP

This way, StemExpress says, they acquired internal company documents which they've posted publicly, despite their commitment to confidentiality.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "despite their commitments", ensure that the contrast is clear and that the subsequent action or situation is unexpected given the commitments involved. This strengthens the impact of your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "despite their commitments" when the following action is a direct consequence or fulfillment of those commitments. The phrase implies a deviation or unexpected outcome.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "despite their commitments" functions as a prepositional phrase that introduces a contrasting element to a statement. It sets up a situation where one might expect a certain outcome due to existing obligations, but the reality deviates from that expectation. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "despite their commitments" is a grammatically correct phrase used to introduce a contrast between expected behavior, given existing obligations, and the actual outcome. According to Ludwig, its usage is more common in News & Media and Science, and it's important to ensure the contrast is clear when employing this phrase. Remember to avoid using it when the subsequent action is a direct result of the commitments, as it implies an unexpected or contradictory situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

notwithstanding their pledges

Replaces "commitments" with "pledges", emphasizing a formal promise or assurance that is being disregarded.

in spite of their promises

Substitutes "despite" with "in spite of" and "commitments" with "promises", providing a slightly more informal tone.

regardless of their obligations

Replaces "despite" with "regardless of" and "commitments" with "obligations", focusing on duties or requirements.

even though they are bound

Uses a clause structure to express the contrast, highlighting the state of being bound by an agreement or duty.

although they are dedicated

Uses "although" and focuses on dedication, showing a contrast between commitment and action.

yet they are devoted

Contrasts the initial expectation of commitment with a different outcome or behavior, using "devoted" to replace "commitments".

however they are bound by duty

Emphasizes the binding nature of duty while introducing a contrasting element.

disregarding their agreements

Highlights the act of disregarding existing agreements or understandings.

overlooking their responsibilities

Focuses on the neglect or oversight of responsibilities.

ignoring their vows

Uses "ignoring" to underscore the act of neglecting commitments, specifically vows.

FAQs

How can I use "despite their commitments" in a sentence?

Use "despite their commitments" to introduce a situation or action that contrasts with what would be expected given someone's obligations. For example, "Despite their commitments, they found time to volunteer."

What are some alternatives to "despite their commitments"?

You can use alternatives like "regardless of their obligations", "in spite of their promises", or "notwithstanding their pledges depending on the specific context.

Is it better to use "despite their commitments" or "in spite of their commitments"?

"Despite their commitments" and "in spite of their commitments" are largely interchangeable. "Despite" is slightly more formal, but both convey the same meaning of something happening contrary to expectations.

What's the difference between "despite their commitments" and "because of their commitments"?

"Despite their commitments" indicates a contrast, where something occurs even though commitments exist. "Because of their commitments" indicates a causal relationship, where something happens as a direct result of the commitments.