English Reference

Word

commission

Phoneticscom·mis·sion, stress on the second syllable

US/kəˈmɪʃən/

UK/kəmˈɪʃən/

Definitions

01official group

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Formal

n. an official group of people who are asked to find out about something or control something.

n. a formal body or committee officially tasked with an investigative, administrative, or legislative function.

“The government set up a commission to look into the causes of the flood.”

“The European Commission proposed new regulations to standardise digital privacy across all member states by the end of the fiscal year.”

02sales payment

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun

n. an amount of money paid to an employee for selling something.

n. a fee or percentage of a sale paid to an agent or salesperson as remuneration for services rendered.

“She earns a small basic salary plus a ten percent commission on every car she sells.”

“Real estate agents typically operate on a commission basis, incentivising them to secure the highest possible market price for their clients.”

Usage

often used with the preposition 'on'

Synonyms

03military rank

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal

n. an official document that makes someone an officer in the army, navy, or air force.

n. a formal warrant conferring the rank of officer in the armed forces.

“After finishing his training, he received his commission as a second lieutenant.”

“He resigned his commission in the Royal Navy to pursue a career in maritime law after a decade of active service.”

Synonyms

04committing a crime

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Law Formal · Academic

n. the act of doing something wrong or illegal.

n. the act of perpetrating a crime, sin, or error.

“The police had enough evidence to prove the commission of the crime.”

“The defendant was charged not only with the commission of the robbery but also with conspiracy to obstruct the subsequent investigation.”

Teaching tip

Often contrasted with 'omission' (failing to do something) in legal and ethical contexts.

Synonyms

perpetrationexecution

Antonyms

05to order work

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to formally ask someone to write, make, or create something for you.

v. to formally request the production of a specific work, such as a piece of art, music, or a report.

“The city decided to commission a local artist to paint a mural on the library wall.”

“The magazine commissioned a series of articles exploring the impact of artificial intelligence on the creative industries over the next decade.”

06to put into service

C1 · Advanced Technology Technical

v. to bring something, like a ship or a power station, into official use.

v. to bring a ship, facility, or piece of equipment into active operational status.

“The new hospital was commissioned last month and is now treating patients.”

“The naval base prepared to commission the new destroyer following a successful series of sea trials in the North Atlantic.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

decommission

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “commission” in context.

Verb

01. earn a commission

“Sales agents earn a commission for every insurance policy they sell.”

verb + noun

02. charge a commission

“Most travel agencies charge a small commission for booking international flights.”

verb + noun

03. set up a commission

“The government decided to set up a commission to investigate the cause of the financial crisis.”

verb + noun

Adjective

04. generous commission

“The gallery takes a generous commission on every painting sold by local artists.”

adj + noun

05. independent commission

“An independent commission was appointed to oversee the national elections.”

adj + noun

Noun

06. commission for the portrait

“The sculptor received a prestigious commission for the portrait of the president.”

noun + prep + noun

07. member of the commission

“Each member of the commission had to sign the final report before it was published.”

noun + of + noun

Preposition

08. on commission

“He doesn't have a fixed salary because he works entirely on commission.”

prep + noun

Real-World Examples

“In Friday's statement the commission said it would review the decision to suspend vote counting within the next 24 hours.”
BBC News 14 Aug 2026
“The European Commission had forecast growth of 1.1%, while the IMF expected the euro area to grow by around 0.9%.”
BBC News 13 Aug 2026

Etymology

From Middle English commissioun, from Old French commission, from Latin commissiō (“sending together; commission”), from prefix com- (“with”) + noun of action missiō (“sending”), from perfect passive participle missus (“sent”), from the verb mittō (“to send”) + noun of action suffix -iō.

Compare Italian camicia and Romanian cămeșă.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
Frequency
Very common
Level
B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
Updated

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