Synonyms of commerce

commerce

noun

ˈkä-(ˌ)mərs 

1

as in marketplace

the buying and selling of goods especially on a large scale and between different places

a government agency in charge of regulating interstate commerce

Synonyms & Similar Words

• marketplace
• trade
• traffic
• business
• dealings
• retailing
• free trade
• merchandising
• black market
• gray market
• horse-trading
• bartering
• wholesaling
• e-tail

2

as in interaction

doings between individuals or groups

when I was doing outside consulting for the company, I never had much commerce with the in-house staff

Synonyms & Similar Words

• interaction
• relation
• intercourse
• dealings
• interrelationship
• companionship
• cross-fertilization
• cross-pollination
• company

3

as in sex

sexual union involving penetration of the vagina by the penis

rumors of commerce between the lady and the knight spread throughout the court

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sex
• relations
• intercourse
• mating
• sexuality
• copulation
• sex act
• making love
• coitus
• sexual intercourse
• sexual relations
• coupling
• breeding
• lovemaking
• coition
• congress
• getting it on
• copulating
• fornication
• safe sex
• carnality
• insemination
• dalliance
• hanky-panky
• whoopee

Synonym Chooser

How is the word commerce distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of commerce are business, industry, trade, and traffic. While all these words mean "activity concerned with the supplying and distribution of commodities," commerce and trade imply the exchange and transportation of commodities.

When might business be a better fit than commerce?

The meanings of business and commerce largely overlap; however, business may be an inclusive term but specifically designates the activities of those engaged in the purchase or sale of commodities or in related financial transactions.

Where would industry be a reasonable alternative to commerce?

The words industry and commerce are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, industry applies to the producing of commodities, especially by manufacturing or processing, usually on a large scale.

When would traffic be a good substitute for commerce?

The synonyms traffic and commerce are sometimes interchangeable, but traffic applies to the operation and functioning of public carriers of goods and persons.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of commerce

Agentic commerce—the idea of using AI agents to search for products, make purchases, and handle payments for users—has gained momentum over the past year as more companies build the tools to support it. — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026

Ethiopia depends on Djibouti for the overwhelming majority of its maritime commerce, including fuel imports. — Alemayehu Fentaw Weldemariam, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2026

The Chinese commerce ministry said the two countries agreed to further cooperate in the agricultural sector, forming a group under the Board of Trade established in May to optimize bilateral trade. — ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026

Coaches engage in interstate commerce in numerous ways, including coaching teams that play games in different states, coaching games that are broadcast to different states and by recruiting athletes in different states. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 28 Sep. 2026