commercialism
noun
com·mer·cial·ism
kə-ˈmər-shə-ˌli-zəm 
1
: commercial spirit, institutions, or methods
2
: excessive emphasis on profit
Examples of commercialism in a Sentence
the commercialism of modern society
the increasing commercialism of the Christmas holiday
Recent Examples on the Web
Chibi Guadalupe comes to us in a globalized world that borrows freely from the visual traditions of a country on the other side of the planet for the purposes of commercialism.
—
Jp Brammer, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2023
Along the way, there was the usual array of leaden gags, shameless commercialism and genuinely poignant moments that transcended all the award-show contrivance.
—The New York Times, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2022
Early iterations of Elvis Presley (Gold Boot) and Mae West (both from 1956) flirt with ideas of celebrity and commercialism, culminating in the more recognizable Licorice Marilyn (1962) and Liz #5 (Early Colored Liz) (1963).
—Alexandra Bregman, Forbes, 4 May 2023
Perfect for: Artsy and creative types who desire the typical scenery of a tropical island getaway without the commercialism.
—Bridgette Bartlett Royall, Essence, 21 July 2023
Some also protest the crass commercialism of the holiday and contemporary yoga culture more generally.
—Jeremy David Engels, Fortune Well, 21 June 2023
Margot Robbie, playing Barbie, is clad in an exact re-creation of the original Barbie’s outfit; Gerwig is clearly thinking about the interplay between highbrow and lowbrow, between art and commercialism.
—Vulture, 25 May 2023
Others want to move away from commercialism and all the plastic packaging that comes with it.
—Chris Moody, Anchorage Daily News, 16 May 2023
Alongside the charity has come a greater turn toward commercialism, one made unavoidably clear by the hundreds of fans present at the typically low-key, intimate festival to catch a glimpse of their idol Karry Wang, the singer-actor from TFBoys.
—Rebecca Davis, Variety, 18 Oct. 2021
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Jp Brammer, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2023
Along the way, there was the usual array of leaden gags, shameless commercialism and genuinely poignant moments that transcended all the award-show contrivance.
—The New York Times, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2022
Early iterations of Elvis Presley (Gold Boot) and Mae West (both from 1956) flirt with ideas of celebrity and commercialism, culminating in the more recognizable Licorice Marilyn (1962) and Liz #5 (Early Colored Liz) (1963).
—Alexandra Bregman, Forbes, 4 May 2023
Perfect for: Artsy and creative types who desire the typical scenery of a tropical island getaway without the commercialism.
—Bridgette Bartlett Royall, Essence, 21 July 2023
Some also protest the crass commercialism of the holiday and contemporary yoga culture more generally.
—Jeremy David Engels, Fortune Well, 21 June 2023
Margot Robbie, playing Barbie, is clad in an exact re-creation of the original Barbie’s outfit; Gerwig is clearly thinking about the interplay between highbrow and lowbrow, between art and commercialism.
—Vulture, 25 May 2023
Others want to move away from commercialism and all the plastic packaging that comes with it.
—Chris Moody, Anchorage Daily News, 16 May 2023
Alongside the charity has come a greater turn toward commercialism, one made unavoidably clear by the hundreds of fans present at the typically low-key, intimate festival to catch a glimpse of their idol Karry Wang, the singer-actor from TFBoys.
—Rebecca Davis, Variety, 18 Oct. 2021
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'commercialism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1849, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near commercialism
Cite this Entry
“Commercialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commercialism. Accessed 26 Sep. 2023.
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