commissioned

adjective

com·​mis·​sioned kə-ˈmi-shənd How to pronounce commissioned (audio)
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

Examples of commissioned in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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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 The commissioned centerpiece of the exhibition is personal to Saar as someone who grew up visiting the Huntington with her mother and aunt. Steven Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Time Traveler
The first known use of commissioned was in 1612

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Cite this Entry

“Commissioned.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commissioned. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.

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