commissioned

1 of 2

adjective

Synonyms of commissionednext
1
a
of an artistic or literary work : ordered to be made in exchange for payment
a commissioned portrait
The Ohio Ballet's recent … commissioned works by modernists Laura Dean and the frenetic Molissa Fenley …—David McCracken
… the commissioned piece that highlighted his Lincoln Center concert …—Larry Blumenfeld
b
: having received a commission (see commission entry 1 sense 2b) to create an artistic or literary work
a commissioned artist
2
: receiving a commission (see commission entry 1 sense 6) as a fee
a commissioned salesperson
3
of a ship : ready for active service : in commission
But few of the Bostonians depicted here on Constitution Wharf at Boston Harbor would have predicted that the old ship would … remain a commissioned Navy ship for so many years to come.—Tyrone Martin
4
: having or involving a commission (see commission entry 1 sense 1) conferring rank, authority, or power
a commissioned notary public
Of these [Irish] volunteers [in the British armed forces] I estimate that approximately 8,000 served in the commissioned ranks.—Steven O'Connor
see also commissioned officer

commissioned

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of commission entry 2

Examples of commissioned in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Villagrán conducted research on Chilean Air Force officers and non-commissioned officers who were tortured by their own comrades for refusing to participate in the coup. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 18 Feb. 2026 Structural reinforcements and electrical adaptations were made to the deck to accommodate the sail’s foundation, after which the fully pre-commissioned unit was lifted into place in a streamlined, plug-and-play process. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 18 Dec. 2025 Black riflemen performed so well, in fact, that almost 90% of white non-commissioned officers thought the experiment should continue. — Time, 5 Nov. 2025 Both Thorn and Najlis are senior non-commissioned officers who balance military leadership with civilian careers in law enforcement and mentor newer soldiers. — Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Time Traveler
The first known use of commissioned was in 1612

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Commissioned.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commissioned. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on commissioned

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster