com·mer·cial
kə-ˈmər-shəl 
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
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
Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
The price for commercial dishwashers runs from the low thousands of dollars to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the size and complexity of the dish problem the machines are supposed to tackle.
—Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Otto Rabe, Cincinnati Enquirer, 11 Sep. 2025
If drugmakers were forced to include a comprehensive and complete list of side effects, one media executive says, the result would be ads that are unworkably long for TV, which is built around 15-, 30-, and 60-second commercials.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commercial
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Adjective
Members of Gen Z are also more likely to have a hard time finding a job in this current market or to be more susceptible to losing their job, said Shikha Jain, a partner and head of consumer/retail at Simon-Kucher, a commercial strategy consulting firm.
—Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
The price for commercial dishwashers runs from the low thousands of dollars to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the size and complexity of the dish problem the machines are supposed to tackle.
—Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
His commercials have graced Southwest Ohio TVs over the last two decades and inspired Reddit posts, Halloween costumes and even a surprisingly enjoyable lo-fi musical remix on YouTube.
—Otto Rabe, Cincinnati Enquirer, 11 Sep. 2025
If drugmakers were forced to include a comprehensive and complete list of side effects, one media executive says, the result would be ads that are unworkably long for TV, which is built around 15-, 30-, and 60-second commercials.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commercial
Cite this Entry
“Commercial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commercial. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
commercial
1 of 2 adjective
com·mer·cial
kə-ˈmər-shəl
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
commercial
2 of 2 noun
: an advertisement broadcast on radio or television
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