commercialism

noun

com·​mer·​cial·​ism kə-ˈmər-shə-ˌli-zəm 

1

: commercial spirit, institutions, or methods

2

: excessive emphasis on profit

commercialist

kə-ˈmər-sh(ə-)list 

noun

commercialistic

kə-ˌmər-shə-ˈli-stik 

adjective

Examples of commercialism in a Sentence

the commercialism of modern society

the increasing commercialism of the Christmas holiday

Recent Examples on the Web

Such a move would never be tolerated or accepted by a footballing environment that remains deeply suspicious of commercialism and militantly on guard against any move in that direction. —Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025

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

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for commercialism

• activism
• ageism
• albinism
• altruism
• aneurism
• animism
• aphorism
• atomism
• barbarism
• bolshevism
• botulism
• brahmanism