commercial

1 of 2

adjective

com·​mer·​cial kə-ˈmər-shəl 

1

a(1)

: occupied with or engaged in commerce or work intended for commerce

a commercial artist

(2)

: of or relating to commerce

commercial regulations

commercial services

(3)

: characteristic of commerce

commercial weights

(4)

: suitable, adequate, or prepared for commerce

found oil in commercial quantities

b(1)

: being of an average or inferior quality

commercial oxalic acid

show-quality versus commercial cattle

(2)

: producing artistic work of low standards for quick market success

2

a

: viewed with regard to profit

a commercial success

of no commercial value

b

: designed for a large market

commercial coffee production

3

: emphasizing skills and subjects useful in business

a commercial school

4

: supported by advertisers

commercial TV

commerciality

kə-ˌmər-shē-ˈa-lə-tē 

noun

commercially

kə-ˈmər-sh(ə-)lē 

adverb

commercial

2 of 2

noun

plural commercials

: an advertisement included with another broadcast (as on radio, television, or a podcast)

Synonyms

Adjective

• corporate
• marketable
• mass-market
• salable
• saleable

Examples of commercial in a Sentence

Adjective

Their music is too commercial.

The average American sees and hears thousands of commercial messages each day.

Noun

a commercial for a new kind of soap

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

There have been instances where commercial boats have responded to a boat maintenance call after hearing the information on Channel 16, Neff said. —Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025

The news comes after the Federal Aviation Administration, which licenses commercial rocket launches, gave official approval Thursday, May 22 for SpaceX to launch Starship once again. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 25 May 2025

Noun

His path into acting was unconventional, starting with Nike commercials in the early 2000s thanks to his basketball skills. —Clayton Davis, Variety, 24 May 2025

Lentz is a 36-year-old with sea green eyes and wavy brown hair worthy of a shampoo commercial. —Eliza Brooke, Vox, 23 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see commerce entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Noun

1935, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing commercial

• anti-commercial
• commercial announcement
• commercial bank
• commercial break
• commercial paper
• commercial traveler
• ultra-commercial

Rhymes for commercial

• inertial
• controversial
• noncommercial
• noncontroversial
• uncontroversial

Kids Definition

commercial

1 of 2 adjective

com·​mer·​cial kə-ˈmər-shəl 

1

: of or relating to commerce

2

: designed mainly for profit

especially : designed for mass appeal

the commercial theater

3

: paid for by advertisers

commercial TV

commercially

-ˈmərsh-(ə-)lē 

adverb

commercial

2 of 2 noun

: an advertisement broadcast on radio or television

Legal Definition

commercial

adjective

com·​mer·​cial

: of or relating to commerce

commercial regulations

commercially adverb