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.
Recent Examples on the WebKeri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2024
Bosnia’s election commission decided to postpone local elections this weekend in municipalities affected by floods, but to carry on with voting elsewhere.
—Reuters, CNN, 5 Oct. 2024
Alexandra Bregman, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
The new series was commissioned by Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for commission 
Noun
The commission’s probe into the group began after a Norwalk deputy was caught on camera beating a transgender man in a 7-Eleven parking lot early last year.
—Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2024
Bosnia’s election commission decided to postpone local elections this weekend in municipalities affected by floods, but to carry on with voting elsewhere.
—Reuters, CNN, 5 Oct. 2024
Verb
In the contemporary sphere, Cheng recently commissioned Dutch portraitist Philip Akkerman to paint him into of 17th century florals by Nicolaes van Verandael.
—Alexandra Bregman, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
The new series was commissioned by Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for commission
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.
Dictionary Entries Near commission
Cite this Entry
“Commission.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commission. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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