commute or travel difference

3. Can the specific expense be deducted fully, or does the IRS impose limits? Most business expenses are completely deductible, but some are limited. For example,  entertainment expenses  are no longer deductible for businesses (for 2018 and after) and meal expenses have a deduction limit of 50%.  

What's Deductible for International Travel?

Business expenses for international travel are considered in a special way by the IRS because international travel is longer and it means not being able to get home easily. If you can meet at least one of these three conditions , you may be able to deduct all of your international travel expenses, even if some of them are for personal use:

• The trip requires you to be out of the U.S. for at least a week and you spent less than 25% of expenses on personal purchases, or
• You had what the IRS calls "substantial control" over the itinerary, or
• You can prove that vacation wasn't a major consideration for the trip.

As you can tell, this category is complicated, so get the help of a tax professional before you try to claim international travel expenses.  

IRS Explanations of Deductions for Travel

The IRS has a simple explanation of when transportation expenses are deductible (if your home is not your primary place of business). Refer to IRS Publication 587-Business Use of Your Home for more information on how to determine if your home is your principal place of business.

IRS. " Publication 463 Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses ." Page 13. Accessed Sept. 5, 2020.

U.S. Tax Court. " T.C. Memo 2012-200 Saunders v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue ." Accessed Sept. 5, 2020.

IRS. " Publication 463 Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses ." Page 5. Accessed Sept. 5, 2020.

IRS. " Publication 463 Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses ." Page 5. Accessed Sept. 24, 2020.

IRS. " Publication 463 Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses ." Page 7. Accessed Sept. 5, 2020.

Journey vs. Commute: What's the Difference?

Key Differences

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Definition of commute

 (Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

intransitive verb

Definition of commute  (Entry 2 of 2)

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.

Examples of commute in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'commute.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Verb and Noun

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

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

1954, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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“Commute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commute. Accessed 18 May. 2024.

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Kids definition of commute.

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Transport vs. Commute — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Transport and Commute

Table of contents, key differences, comparison chart, environmental focus, economic impact, compare with definitions, common curiosities, can commuting be considered a part of transport, what environmental impacts are associated with commuting, what is transport, how do transport and commute differ in purpose, how do different forms of transport affect commuting, what measures can improve commuting experiences, what is a commute, what are common challenges associated with commuting, how is the economic impact of transport different from that of commuting, is remote work considered commuting, share your discovery.

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Meaning of commute in English

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commute verb ( TRAVEL )

• around Robin Hood's barn idiom
• baggage drop
• communication
• first class
• peripatetically
• public transportation
• super-commuting

commute verb ( CHANGE )

• make an about-turn
• make something into something
• metamorphose
• sanitization
• semi-domesticated
• shake someone out of something

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

• break-journey
• circumnavigation

commute | Intermediate English

Commute | business english, examples of commute, translations of commute.

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If you are on hold when using the phone, you are waiting to speak to someone.

Searching out and tracking down: talking about finding or discovering things

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Free Preschool With One Catch: It May Be a Long Commute Away

Many New York City families counted on the prospect of free preschool, but hundreds were not immediately offered a seat and may have to travel across town to available spots.

By Troy Closson

New York City once sold a promise of free prekindergarten for all as an unusual benefit designed to make it far easier to raise children in this expensive city.

So as families worried over whether their 3-year-olds would have spots this fall, Mayor Eric Adams pledged last month that everyone would have “access” to a seat. But when the Education Department released offers this week, hundreds of families were left without a place after all, facing another potential year of child-care bills that often soar over $2,500 a month.

Every 4-year-old in New York is guaranteed a free preschool seat, and 3-year-olds were next in line for a universal program. But Mr. Adams canceled plans to expand that initiative because of empty slots in some neighborhoods, and he has cut millions of dollars from the program.

On Thursday, about 2,500 children did not receive a prekindergarten offer, leaving their parents in limbo. Many are still on huge waiting lists and scrambling to rethink their finances and future in the city.

Ben Lowe, a father in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, did not receive a 3-K offer, and his daughter was behind dozens of other children on waiting lists for nearby programs. He said an extra year of paid child care could be a “devastating financial cost” for his family.

“I feel completely betrayed by this mayor,” Mr. Lowe said. “We don’t know how we’re going to solve this.”

Amaris Cockfield, a City Hall spokeswoman, said that Mr. Adams “will keep his word.”

The city will work with every family who did not receive an offer “to find the nearest location with available seats that works best for them,” she said. About 44,000 families applied for 53,000 spots, so all families could still have access to 3-K, city officials said.

Daniel Weisberg, the first deputy chancellor, said at a recent City Council meeting that the Education Department was “really hopeful that, over the next few weeks, every family that’s looking for a seat will get one.”

The available spots may not be feasible for many families.

A preschool’s location is often a top factor for parents, who tend to apply to sites within walking distance of their home or workplace. But officials have not entirely distributed the seats in ways that will meet the demand.

In places like northern Queens, central Brooklyn and the north Bronx, there has been intense competition for spots in recent years, and many preschools have long waiting lists. There are a number of neighborhoods with many unfilled spots, but they could require a long trek across town for families from high-demand areas.

Education officials have previously acknowledged that the imbalance means some parents could wind up at preschools that require hours of commuting, an outcome that advocates of universal programs said would be unacceptable.

“Access means doable,” said Rebecca Bailin, who leads New Yorkers United for Child Care. “Access means parents can actually get there.”

Many families did receive good news this week. Parents can apply to up to 12 preschools, and about 78 percent were offered one of their top three choices, education officials said at a recent City Council hearing. Another 10 percent were placed at a preschool they did not apply to.

About 6 percent of parents did not receive an offer at all. Ms. Cockfield said the city’s Education Department “unfortunately” released guidance to those families that did not make their options clear and that it would distribute an updated letter to clarify that openings remained.

The whiplash has been taxing on parents like Kristyna Frantz, a mother who is eight months pregnant with twins.

She lives in an Upper Manhattan district where families were initially informed on a city website that every 3-year-old would have a preschool slot. The promise kept her calm even as other parents stressed over their applications.

But her son was left out on Thursday. “It was completely jarring to not receive an offer,” she said.

Ms. Frantz said she had “explicitly” sold her husband on staying in New York to raise a family by making the case that after their children turned 3, they would be guaranteed a free preschool seat. “I instantly called him crying,” Ms. Frantz said.

“I feel like I was promised a seat,” she added. “And now to not get it, it feels like trust is broken.”

The turbulence in the 3-K program could also become a sticking point in next year’s mayoral race as potential challengers argue that raising a family in New York has become too difficult under Mayor Adams.

The mayor announced last month that the city would find funding to make up for about $92 million in expiring federal pandemic dollars that had been used for preschool initiatives. But early-childhood programs still face roughly $170 million in potential budget cuts, and it remains unclear how the reductions could affect overall 3-K seat totals.

The uncertainty across the system had already left some families doubtful. “We knew there was a very slim chance,” said Selina Ang, a parent in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, who did not receive an offer.

Ms. Ang said she recognized that free preschool was a rare amenity that most other school systems did not have, adding that her family had loved living in New York for the past decade. Still, as it considers where to settle long-term, leaving the city is on the table.

With thousands of 3-K positions still open, education officials say they will begin a renewed outreach effort to find families to fill them. Experts and advocates worry that the enrollment gaps are not evidence of low need but a sign that too many families are unaware of their options or struggling to sign up.

Jennifer Gutiérrez, a councilwoman in Brooklyn who applied for 3-K this year, said she was relieved that her daughter landed an offer at her top choice. But she added that she did not believe the city was reaching all the children it could.

“I think there’s a lot more families out there,” Ms. Gutiérrez said.

Troy Closson reports on K-12 schools in New York City for The Times. More about Troy Closson

The Biggest Differences Between Bridgerton Season 3 and the Book, Romancing Mister Bridgerton

From the timing of Penelope and Colin's courtship to Felicity Featherington (who?), here are the biggest changes the Netflix show made in adapting Romancing Mister Bridgerton .

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Spoilers ahead through season three, episode four, and for Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn.

Instead of using Quinn's third book in the series as its source material, this season will adapt book four, Romancing Mister Bridgerton , which tells the love story of Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin (Luke Newton), with the first four episodes roughly covering the first thirteen chapters of the book .

In keeping with how the show has adapted previous Bridgerton novels, there were some big changes made in bringing Colin and Penelope's love story to TV. Here, the 10 most significant differences (so far) between Quinn's Romancing Mister Bridgerton and Bridgerton season three on Netflix. (We'll update this story again when part two drops in June!)

1. The timing of Penelope and Colin's romance

Romancing mister bridgerton.

In Quinn's Bridgerton books , Daphne, Anthony, Benedict, and Francesca are all married before Colin, and Penelope has been out in society for nearly a decade by the time their romance takes place. In the show, however, Colin and Penelope's love story takes place the season after Anthony and Kate get married , and Penelope is in her third year on the marriage mart.

"I felt like it was a great decision to sort of swap the order of the books," Luke Newton, who plays Colin, tells Town & Country . "I feel like there would've been a level of frustration if we had another season of Colin just not seeing what's right in front of him. I feel like in the end, fans wouldn't be on his side. They'd be like, 'bro, you missed your chance. You are out. She needs to move on.' So, it's the perfect time."

Given how the first part of this season has played out, Penelope and Colin are likely to marry before Benedict, but there's a good chance Francesca's (first) wedding could take place this season as well. Her book, When He Was Wicked , is all about a second-chance romance.

2. When Eloise and Colin find out the true identity of Lady Whistledown

In the Netflix show, Eloise learns that Penelope is Lady Whistledown at the end of season two , causing a schism between the two friends. In the novels, Penelope doesn't tell Eloise about her secret identity until the very end of Romancing Mister Bridgerton , and Eloise isn't mad at Penelope; in fact, Eloise tells her, " Of course you should not have told me. I could never have kept this a secret."

In Quinn's novel, Colin uncovers Penelope's alter ego before Eloise. More specifically, Colin learns that Penelope is Lady Whisteldown before he proposes, and it is a great source of tension between the two of them as he keeps her secret ahead of their wedding. Penelope thinks he's ashamed of her career as Whistledown, when in fact he's jealous of her skills as a writer.

3. Felicity Featherington

In the books, Penelope has a little sister, Felicity, whom their mom tries to set up with Colin. She doesn't exist in the TV show!

4. Lord Debling

Penelope decides to focus on trying to get married at the start of season three, wanting to be out of her mother's household. (This doesn't happen in the novel; in the text, Penelope has resolved herself to becoming a spinster.) So, she puts herself out there, and begins courting a man named Lord Debling (Sam Phillips). Debling doesn't exist in Quinn's novels—he's fully an invention of the Netflix show. "There was a freedom [to create him] because he's not in the books," Phillips tells Town & Country , " so that was quite exciting for me."

5. Colin's charm lessons for Penelope (and their first kiss)

Colin teaching Penelope isn't a plot point in Romancing Mister Bridgerton , though his charm lessons are a key part of season three. "If a husband is what you seek, let me help you," Colin tells Penelope near the end of episode one. "Help me how?" she asks him. "I was in 17 cities this summer. And what I have learned is charm can be taught," Colin replies. Furthermore, the context for their first kiss is also different (though the actual dialogue of the moment is quite similar).

In the show, Colin arrives at Penelope's house at night, and bribes her maid to give them a moment alone. Penelope laments she is a "sad, stupid girl who believed she might possibly have a chance of love." She then asks Colin, "Would... would you kiss me?" She quickly adds, "It would not have to mean anything. And I would never expect anything from you because of it, but I'm nearly on the shelf and never been kissed, and I am not certain I ever will be. I could die tomorrow—" He interrupts, saying, "You are not going to die tomorrow." Penelope continues, "But I could, and it would kill me... I do not wish to die without ever having been kissed." "Please," she adds in a whisper, "Colin." He looks at her softly, and leans in, and the two share a passionate kiss.

In the book, it takes place in the afternoon in the Featherington drawing room. "Would—Would you kiss me?" she asks Colin at the end of chapter 8. The dialogue that follows in chapter 9 is almost word-for-word the same as the show, with the narration, "So, on an otherwise unremarkable Friday afternoon, in the heart of Mayfair, in a quiet drawing room on Mount Street, Colin Bridgerton kissed Penelope Featherington. And it was glorious."

6. The carriage scene

In the book, the carriage scene takes place after Colin discovers Penelope is Lady Whistledown. The scene is somewhat similar in the show—with the two of them fighting before confessing their feelings and making out—but like the first kiss scene, the context is very different.

In the show, the scene takes place after Lord Debling decides not to propose to Penelope at a ball, telling her that he thinks she has feelings for Colin. "Ms. Featherington," Debling says, "with the amount of time I will be gone, it is essential I make a match with someone whose affections are not already engaged elsewhere. Whatever it is you are searching for, I do hope you find it." Penelope leaves the ball upset, and gets into her carriage. Colin then rushes after her.

Colin's declaration of his feelings is more intense in the show than in the book: "What if I did have feelings for you?" he tells her, before kneeling inside the carriage. "I have spent so long trying to feel less. Trying to be the kind of man society expects me to be. And for a moment, I thought I had succeeded. But these past few weeks have been full of confounding feelings, feelings like a total inability to stop thinking about you. About that kiss. Feelings like dreaming of you when I am asleep, and in fact preferring sleep, because that is where I might find you. A feeling that is like torture, but one which I cannot, will not, do not want to give up." (In Quinn's Romancing Mister Bridgerton , all Colin says to her before they kiss is, "You're not ugly. You're beautiful.")

The make-out scene commences, and Colin's line as they exit the carriage—"For God's sake, Penelope Featherington, are you going to marry me or not?"—remains the same from page to screen.

In the book, the carriage stops at the Featherington house, where Colin asks Penelope's mother for permission to marry her daughter. In the show, it ends with the carriage stoping at the Bridgerton house, and we do not know yet what happens next.

7. Colin's proximity to his siblings

Colin is still living at the Bridgerton house in the Netflix show, but in the books, Anthony and Kate, the new Viscount and Viscountess, live in the Bridgerton house with their children by the time Colin and Penelope's romance takes place. In Romancing Mister Bridgerton , Violet lives down the road with Eloise, Hyacinth, and Gregory in a house the Bridgertons call "Number Five." Colin, however, "kept his own lodgings."

In both the show and the book, Daphne lives at Hastings House with her husband, Simon, the Duke of Hastings. In Romancing Mister Bridgerton , Colin goes to visit his older sister for advice with his relationship with Penelope. However, Phoebe Dynevor, who plays Daphne, isn't in season three , so this moment doesn't exist in the show.

8. Lady Danbury's friendship with Penelope

In Romancing Mister Bridgerton , Lady Dan bury and Penelope are friends, and often gossip together during balls. One Penelope chapter notes that "she admired Lady Danbury a great deal. She admired anyone who knew how to speak her mind in public."

In the show, they do not share many scenes or moments together. Rather, Lady Danbury's confidant at every ball is Queen Charlotte —who isn't a character in the book. This brings us to another key change from the novels: The introduction of Lady Danbury's brother, Marcus Anderson, who has a flirtation with Violet Bridgeton.

9. The Featherington inheritance plotline

Like in past seasons , the plot surrounding the Featherington family continues to diverge significantly from the world of Quinn's novels. After Lady Featherington chooses her daughters over leaving England with Jack at the end of season two , she sets up a new inheritance scheme, in which her first daughter to give birth to a son will inherit the Featherington estate. This leads to competition to conceive between Penelope's older sisters, Prudence and Philippa (who are both married by the start of season three).

10. Eloise and Cressida's friendship

Another invention of the TV show is the friendship between Eloise and Cressida, which makes Penelope jealous. After Eloise and Penelope's falling out at the end of season two , the two have not yet made up.

"For Eloise, I think the reason it happened is because Cressida showed her kindness," actress Claudia Jessie, who plays Eloise, tells T&C . "Remember, she's just lost this lad, that she had a thing-not-thing with. And then she's lost this very sturdy column in her life in the form of Penelope—that's gone, and that's huge, that's shattering. So, she's alone, she's in the countryside in summer, and someone has shown her kindness. When you are a bit down and out, you probably would lean towards things you may not have previously, because your foundation isn't the same. Ultimately, for the viewers and for Eloise, it's a really good opportunity for us to see just how suffocating a situation Cressida is in."

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma , a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram .

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