commercial

1 of 2

adjective

com·​mer·​cial kə-ˈmər-shəl How to pronounce commercial (audio)
1
a(1)
: occupied with or engaged in commerce or work intended for commerce
a commercial artist
(2)
: of or relating to commerce
commercial regulations
commercial services
(3)
: characteristic of commerce
commercial weights
(4)
: suitable, adequate, or prepared for commerce
found oil in commercial quantities
b(1)
: being of an average or inferior quality
commercial oxalic acid
show-quality versus commercial cattle
(2)
: producing artistic work of low standards for quick market success
2
a
: viewed with regard to profit
a commercial success
of no commercial value
b
: designed for a large market
commercial coffee production
3
: emphasizing skills and subjects useful in business
a commercial school
4
: supported by advertisers
commercial TV
commerciality noun
commercially adverb

commercial

2 of 2

noun

plural commercials
: an advertisement included with another broadcast (as on radio, television, or a podcast)

Examples of commercial in a Sentence

Adjective Their music is too commercial. The average American sees and hears thousands of commercial messages each day. Noun a commercial for a new kind of soap
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The new residential and commercial tower would offer a wide range of social services and expand housing options in the neighborhoods. Randy Tucker, The Enquirer, 14 Mar. 2024 Those early years of Pro-Tek’s work dovetailed with the advent of DVD and its explosion in revenue, which only further incentivized studios to protect more materials which could be utilized in commercial home releases. Brent Simon, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024 Applicants must be members of the 100 Percenters community and must have at least two years of professional experience, have three or more commercial songwriting or producer credits, be a U.S. citizen, earn an annual income of less than $100,000 and submit verifiable proof of income. Kristin Robinson, Billboard, 14 Mar. 2024 The Boeing Company commonly known for its commercial airline planes and is often associated with the Seattle area, but the company has a presence in Arizona for decades. Maritza Dominguez, The Arizona Republic, 12 Mar. 2024 Fay Martin said her son, Ryan, a commercial electrician, was prescribed opioid painkillers for a work injury. Jan Hoffman, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024 The Finnish filmmaker hopes her film will fuel the debate on forest preservation in Finland where 90% of forests are for commercial use, a reality which is being challenged by the EU biodiversity strategy aimed at protecting 30% of land and seas by 2030. Annika Pham, Variety, 2 Mar. 2024 Two other vehicles and the commercial semi-tractor truck collided, causing the truck to go over and dangle off the side of the bridge. Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024 Currently, local jurisdictions have no say in the commercial deployment of autonomous vehicles. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2024
Noun
Showcasing the kind of synergy that most Fortune 500 companies could only dream of, shortly after the commercial aired, Beyoncé's website and social media updated with the album's release date, March 29. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 14 Mar. 2024 Back in February, the singer starred in a Uber Eats Super Bowl commercial where his tattoos played a role. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2024 His first order of business is starring in a TV commercial. Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 While working as a gaffer on a commercial, the director of photography and cinematographer had a family emergency, giving Frohna the opportunity to lead the project. Adrienne Davis, Journal Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2024 Por Osos is also set to launch a new commercial, which the company shared with THR (below). Nicole Fell, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024 The industry promoted itself in splashy magazine spreads and Super Bowl commercials, sending Bitcoin’s price soaring. David Yaffe-Bellany, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 Jokes about dads on Father’s Day cards, in television commercials, or on social media mention interests any middle-aged man might have, kids or no kids—golf, grilling, and so on. Saul Austerlitz, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2024 As music director, Minor takes charge of finding walk-on music for people booked on the show and music leading into and out of commercials. Paul Grein, Billboard, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'commercial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see commerce entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Noun

1935, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of commercial was in 1598

Dictionary Entries Near commercial

Cite this Entry

“Commercial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commercial. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

commercial

1 of 2 adjective
com·​mer·​cial kə-ˈmər-shəl How to pronounce commercial (audio)
1
: of or relating to commerce
2
: designed mainly for profit
especially : designed for mass appeal
the commercial theater
3
: paid for by advertisers
commercial TV
commercially adverb

commercial

2 of 2 noun
: an advertisement broadcast on radio or television

Legal Definition

commercial

adjective
com·​mer·​cial
: of or relating to commerce
commercial regulations
commercially adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on commercial

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