as in greed
disapproving
the practice or attitude of placing an excessive emphasis on earning money, making a profit, or buying goods
the increasing commercialism of the Christmas holiday She decried the commercialism of modern society where objects of purely artistic value were often ignored.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of commercialism
Over the course of six seasons and two movies, the show’s thrillingly cynical core got smothered by cloying commercialism—a fixation on both wide-eyed romance and flamboyant luxury.
—
Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 2025
One of the Mangold film’s antagonists, folklorist and Newport overseer Alan Lomax, is seen and heard debating the idea of purity vs. commercialism in folk music.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2025
The movie also exposes the confluence of human curiosity, commercialism, and the ethics associated with forcing these long extinct creatures to function in a modern world.
—Blake D. Morant, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
The card maker started to mass-produce valentines, and from that point, romance and commercialism went into overdrive.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commercialism
Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 2025
One of the Mangold film’s antagonists, folklorist and Newport overseer Alan Lomax, is seen and heard debating the idea of purity vs. commercialism in folk music.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2025
The movie also exposes the confluence of human curiosity, commercialism, and the ethics associated with forcing these long extinct creatures to function in a modern world.
—Blake D. Morant, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
The card maker started to mass-produce valentines, and from that point, romance and commercialism went into overdrive.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commercialism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commercialism
Noun
-
The president is a man of low character, driven by greed, insecurity and revenge.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The themes of poverty, greed and love, that’s the part that the viewers are putting into their enjoyment of the movie.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The book describes the transition of the fictional Grinch, who had focused on the misunderstanding of materialism but was transformed by love and holiday spirit into a helpful, caring being who became part of the community.—
Karie Angell Luc,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Beverly Keel once published an article in The Tennessean that was a letter asking Santa to help our culture move beyond materialism and consumerism to the deeper meaning of Christmas.—
Clay Stauffer,
Nashville Tennessean,
25 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
In the film, Brack’s attraction to Hedda, investment in her material future, and his familiarity with her father are all underlined, and by the end feel like a mounting pressure of desire and possessiveness directed at her.—
Rory Doherty,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Wright is magnetic, walking a fine line between maternal concern and suffocating possessiveness.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Commercialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commercialism. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
