com·mis·sion
kə-ˈmi-shən 
plural commissions
1
a
: a formal written warrant granting the power to perform various acts or duties
b
: a certificate conferring military rank and authority
also
: the rank and authority so conferred
received a lieutenant's commission in the army
2
b
: a formal request to produce something (especially an artistic work) in exchange for payment
… he found his footing as a Western artist when he received a commission in 1958 to create two … paintings …—
William Grimes
William Grimes
also
: a work produced by commission
… the play was a commission of the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis … —Sharon Eberson
Sharon Eberson 3
a
: authority to act for, in behalf of, or in place of another
… had summoned all the clans which acknowledged his commission …—T. B. Macaulay
T. B. Macaulay
b
: a task or matter entrusted to one as an agent for another
executed a commission for me while he was in Singapore
4
a
: a group of persons directed to perform some duty
The state set up a commission to study the proposed merger of the school districts.
b
: a government agency having administrative, legislative, or judicial powers
regulatory powers exercised by the Federal Trade Commission
c
: a city council having legislative and executive functions
She served on the city's water commission.
5
: an act of committing something
commission of a crime
6
: a fee paid to an agent or employee for transacting a piece of business or performing a service
especially
: a percentage of the money received from a total paid to the agent responsible for the business
He gets a commission for each car he sells.
7
: an act of entrusting or giving authority
the commission of limited powers to the administrator
commissioned; commissioning
kə-ˈmi-sh(ə-)niŋ
1
: to furnish with a commission: such as
a
: to confer a formal commission on
was commissioned lieutenant
b
: to appoint or assign to a task or function
was commissioned to do the biography
2
: to order to be made
commissioned a portrait
3
: to put (a ship) in commission
The ship was commissioned in 2004.
Synonyms
Examples of commission in a Sentence
Noun
She served on the city's water commission.
Both states set up commissions to examine their public schools.
She gets a commission for each car she sells.
The salespeople in that store all work on commission.
a weapon used in the commission of a crime
Verb
A portrait of the queen was commissioned.
The magazine commissioned a story about the world's best beaches.
The report on poverty was commissioned by the governor.
The king commissioned the artist to paint his portrait.
She was commissioned in the Navy as a captain.
The ship was commissioned in 2004.
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Recent Examples on the WebDemocrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 23 Nov. 2023
Last month, the commission concluded that officers involved in one of those deaths broke from department policy on multiple occasions.
—Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 23 Nov. 2023
According to the complaint, Santos used the upfront fees to repay other prospective borrowers, pay commissions to his co-conspirators and pay for his own personal expenses.
—Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Nov. 2023
The proposal, which the commission will vote on next month, would also force cable companies and satellite TV services to give customers a rebate if a subscriber leaves before a billing cycle ends.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 22 Nov. 2023
Israel held a commission of inquiry following outrage from the Israeli public and found that Israel was partly responsible for the massacre.
—Maeghan Dolph, Fox News, 22 Nov. 2023
The jury’s finding that NAR and several major brokerages conspired to artificially inflate home sale commissions paid to real estate agents could even be tripled to over $5 billion at the court’s discretion under antitrust law.
—Alena Botros, Fortune, 22 Nov. 2023
The commission reviewed a year’s worth of personal stock trades for hundreds of managers at 30 mutual fund companies.
—Robert Faturechi, ProPublica, 21 Nov. 2023
Breaking up the commission system, Gilbukh said, would result in lower prices overall but also lead to bigger upfront costs for buyers, who indirectly pay the costs of the commissions in the form of higher mortgage payments.
—Julian Mark, Washington Post, 11 Nov. 2023
Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 22 Nov. 2023
The study, commissioned by TikTok and conducted by Luminate, is full of statistics demonstrating TikTok’s power.
—Elias Leight, Billboard, 21 Nov. 2023
Online platform Drizly carries 80% more non-alcoholic brands than last year, as shared in a survey commissioned by the drinks provider.
—Clara Ludmir, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
Rather than have a bar mitzvah photo taken of her son, Mary commissioned an artist to create a portrait.
—Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2023
The Hawaii native has commissioned one-off cameras from both Leica and RED in the past.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 Nov. 2023
The garment was commissioned for the late Queen to wear at her coronation and conserved with adjustments by Ede and Ravenscroft, the oldest tailor in London for Queen Camilla to wear for her crowning earlier this year.
—Monique Jessen, Peoplemag, 7 Nov. 2023
In the late ‘70s, Jotter’s books are rediscovered when two board game developers are commissioned by a mysterious benefactor to adapt them into a complex game.
—Jonathan Russell Clark, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2023
The study was commissioned by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), a trade body that represents the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Europe.
—Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 6 Nov. 2023
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Noun
Results posted online by the commission showed a 569-vote margin separating the the two candidates.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 23 Nov. 2023
Last month, the commission concluded that officers involved in one of those deaths broke from department policy on multiple occasions.
—Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 23 Nov. 2023
According to the complaint, Santos used the upfront fees to repay other prospective borrowers, pay commissions to his co-conspirators and pay for his own personal expenses.
—Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Nov. 2023
The proposal, which the commission will vote on next month, would also force cable companies and satellite TV services to give customers a rebate if a subscriber leaves before a billing cycle ends.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 22 Nov. 2023
Israel held a commission of inquiry following outrage from the Israeli public and found that Israel was partly responsible for the massacre.
—Maeghan Dolph, Fox News, 22 Nov. 2023
The jury’s finding that NAR and several major brokerages conspired to artificially inflate home sale commissions paid to real estate agents could even be tripled to over $5 billion at the court’s discretion under antitrust law.
—Alena Botros, Fortune, 22 Nov. 2023
The commission reviewed a year’s worth of personal stock trades for hundreds of managers at 30 mutual fund companies.
—Robert Faturechi, ProPublica, 21 Nov. 2023
Breaking up the commission system, Gilbukh said, would result in lower prices overall but also lead to bigger upfront costs for buyers, who indirectly pay the costs of the commissions in the form of higher mortgage payments.
—Julian Mark, Washington Post, 11 Nov. 2023
Verb
In a new interview with Hello! magazine, Edo’s stepfather David Williams-Ellis revealed that the couple was struck by one of his sculptures and commissioned a model to be made for the Queen.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 22 Nov. 2023
The study, commissioned by TikTok and conducted by Luminate, is full of statistics demonstrating TikTok’s power.
—Elias Leight, Billboard, 21 Nov. 2023
Online platform Drizly carries 80% more non-alcoholic brands than last year, as shared in a survey commissioned by the drinks provider.
—Clara Ludmir, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
Rather than have a bar mitzvah photo taken of her son, Mary commissioned an artist to create a portrait.
—Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2023
The Hawaii native has commissioned one-off cameras from both Leica and RED in the past.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 Nov. 2023
The garment was commissioned for the late Queen to wear at her coronation and conserved with adjustments by Ede and Ravenscroft, the oldest tailor in London for Queen Camilla to wear for her crowning earlier this year.
—Monique Jessen, Peoplemag, 7 Nov. 2023
In the late ‘70s, Jotter’s books are rediscovered when two board game developers are commissioned by a mysterious benefactor to adapt them into a complex game.
—Jonathan Russell Clark, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2023
The study was commissioned by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), a trade body that represents the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Europe.
—Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 6 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'commission.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English commissioun "delegated authority, warrant delegating authority," borrowed from Anglo-French commission, borrowed from Medieval Latin commissiōn-, commissiō "commitment, entrusting, grant of authority," going back to Late Latin, "joining, engagement, sin," going back to Latin, "commencement of a game," from committere "to join together, engage, place in the keeping of, entrust, bring about" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at commit
Verb
derivative of commission entry 1
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1602, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of commission was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing commission
Dictionary Entries Near commission
Cite this Entry
“Commission.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commission. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
commission
1 of 2 noun
com·mis·sion
kə-ˈmish-ən
1
a
: an order granting the power to perform various acts or duties
b
: a certificate that gives military rank and authority
also
: the rank and authority so given
2
a
: authority to act as agent for another
b
: a matter entrusted to an agent
3
: a group of persons directed to perform some duty
4
: an act of committing
commission of a theft
5
: a fee paid to an agent or employee for taking care of a piece of business
a 5% sales commission
commission
2 of 2 verb
commissioned; commissioning
-ˈmish-(ə-)niŋ
1
: to give a commission to
was commissioned lieutenant
commissioned to write the biography
2
: to order to be made
commissioned a portrait of himself
3
: to put (a ship) in commission
Legal Definition
commission
noun
com·mis·sion
1
: a formal written authorization to perform various acts and duties
a notary's commission
2
a
: authority to act for, in behalf of, or in place of another
b
: a task or matter entrusted to one as the agent for another
3
a
: a group of persons directed to perform a duty
b
usually capitalized
: a government agency
Federal Trade Commission
see also agency
c
: a city council having legislative and executive functions
4
: an act of committing something
commission of the crime
5
: a fee paid to an agent or employee for transacting a piece of business or performing a service
especially
: a percentage of the money received paid to the agent responsible for the business
commission
transitive verb
More from Merriam-Webster on commission
Nglish: Translation of commission for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of commission for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about commission
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