commission 1 of 2

noun

kə-ˈmi-shən How to pronounce commission (audio)
Definition of commissionnext
1
as in mandate
the granting of power to perform various acts or duties President Jefferson's commission to Lewis and Clark to explore the Louisiana Territory

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in execution
the doing of an action a single burglar was responsible for the commission of all the break-ins

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in committee
a select group of persons assigned to consider or take action on some matter reported to a UN commission on the AIDS crisis

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in appointment
the state or fact of being chosen for a position or duty her commission as head of the investigation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

commission

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to appoint
to appoint as one's representative plans to commission a deputy to investigate the matter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to enable
to give official or legal power to was commissioned lieutenant

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to task
to give a task, duty, or responsibility to was commissioned to do the biography

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to nominate
to pick (someone) by one's authority for a specific position or duty commissioned him to head the office of veterans affairs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 commission
Noun
The commission also directed the applicant to work with staff to address things like pedestrian walkability. — Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026 What is needed now is a joint commission on physician education modernization. — Abigail MacKenzie, STAT, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
At the same time, Niccolò also secretly commissions the openly gay upstart Michelangelo (Brennan Pickman-Thoon) to paint the Battle of Cascina. — Charles Lewis Iii, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026 González’s work took a turn with Looking for Lucifer I (2018), a performance and installation commissioned for MoMA PS1’s courtyard. — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for commission
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commission
  1. mandate
  2. execution
  3. committee
  4. appointment
  5. appoint
  6. enable
  7. task
  8. nominate
Noun
  • Yet rather than focusing on seemingly hyperbolic specs, the Hennessey team had a different mandate with the Blackbird.
    — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Then went on to demand more vaccine mandates and passports afterward anyway.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of mandate
Noun
  • This strategy transforms passive allyship education into active operational execution with accountability layered in.
    — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • More than two years after a California mother's desperate 911 call ended with her 4-year-old son witnessing her killing, the father prosecutors said carried out the execution will spend decades behind bars.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of execution
Noun
  • Meanwhile, the executive committee of the smallest and least wealthy regional confederation, Oceania (OFC), will meet Wednesday to discuss its approach.
    — Aleks Klosok, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • In response, a Senate committee voted to hold Fauci in contempt.
    — O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of committee
Noun
  • View gallery - 3 images At a recent doctor's appointment, I was asked to consent to an artificial intelligence assistant listening to my consultation.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Defense attorneys, meanwhile, argue that with issues that likely go up to the highest levels of the Department of Justice, the only way to get to the truth is through the appointment of independent special counsel with subpoena power.
    — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of appointment
Verb
  • The County Commissioner Court agreed to appoint a committee to review the petition’s demands.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Hyde-Smith, first appointed and then elected in 2018, is using a familiar playbook of portraying her Democratic opponent as too liberal for Mississippi.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of appoint
Verb
  • These impersonators and scammers tie into a broader issue regarding how AI-generation tools are being used to enable cybercriminals.
    — Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
  • This combination enables more precise foot placement, improved balance, and smoother movement across challenging surfaces.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of enable
Verb
  • Production designer Ryan Warren Smith (The Holdovers), costume designer Chloe Karmin (Succession), and music supervisor Mandy Mamlet (Challengers) were among the crew members tasked with restoring P-town to its glory, circa 1975.
    — Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The timing shook out nicely, considering Berg would go on to be tapped to succeed Don Garber as MLS’ next commissioner and has subsequently been tasked with unloading his sizable ownership stake in LAFC.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of task
Verb
  • Both Swayze and Leguizamo were nominated for Golden Globes for their performances, but neither of them won.
    — Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Gosling, who was nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar for his role as Ken, is angling to raise his pay to $20 million.
    — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of nominate

Phrases Containing commission

Browse Nearby Words

commissary
commission
commissioned
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Commission.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commission. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on commission

Nglish: Translation of commission for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about commission

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nurture

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All