Commission — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /kə-ˈmi-shən/ com·mis·sion

Meaning & Definition of Commission

Commission (noun)

  1. a formal written warrant granting the power to perform various acts or duties
  2. a certificate conferring military rank and authority; also, the rank and authority so conferred
  3. an authorization or command to act in a prescribed manner or to perform prescribed acts, charge

Commission (verb)

  1. to furnish with a commission
  2. to confer a formal commission on
  3. to appoint or assign to a task or function

Commission (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the granting of power to perform various acts or duties

    "President Jefferson's commission to Lewis and Clark to explore the Louisiana Territory"

    similar: accreditation, authorization, delegation, empowerment, license, mandate
    related: commendation, consignment, entrustment, facilitation, fostering, promotion, commanding, directing, ordering

  2. the doing of an action

    "a single burglar was responsible for the commission of all the break-ins"

    similar: accomplishment, achievement, discharge, enactment, execution, fulfillment, implementation, performance, perpetration, prosecution, pursuance
    related: dispatch, expedition, administration, direction, handling, management, application, operation, practice
    opposite: nonfulfillment, nonperformance

  3. a select group of persons assigned to consider or take action on some matter

    "reported to a UN commission on the AIDS crisis"

    similar: committee, panel
    related: standing committee, steering committee, subcommittee, delegation, mission, assembly, body, congress, convocation, council, synod

  4. the state or fact of being chosen for a position or duty

    "her commission as head of the investigation"

    similar: appointment, assignment, designation
    related: billet, gig, job, office, place, position, situation, spot, station, authorization, delegation, deputation, emplacement, placement, ranking, anointing, anointment, induction, installation, installment, instating, investiture, investment, ordination, choice, choosing, destination, election, nomination, picking, selection, singling (out)
    opposite: discharge, dismissal, dismission, expulsion, firing
    near: blackball, rejection, deposition, dethronement, ejection, eviction, ouster, overthrow, removal

Commission (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to appoint as one's representative

    "plans to commission a deputy to investigate the matter"

    similar: delegate, depute, deputize
    related: assign, charge, appoint, designate, name, nominate
    near: abrogate, abdicate

  2. to give official or legal power to

    "was commissioned lieutenant"

    similar: accredit, authorize, certify, charter (British), empower, enable, invest, license, qualify, vest, warrant
    related: approve, clear, credential, endorse, OK, sanction, affirm, confirm, validate, inaugurate, induct, initiate, install, instate, swear in, allow, let, permit, enfranchise, entitle, privilege
    opposite: disqualify
    near: ban, bar, block, constrain, deny, disallow, disbar, discourage, disenfranchise, disfranchise, exclude, hinder, hold back, impede, inhibit, obstruct, prevent, shut out, stop, enjoin, forbid, interdict, outlaw, prohibit, proscribe, veto

  3. to give a task, duty, or responsibility to

    "was commissioned to do the biography"

    similar: assign, charge, entrust, task, trust
    related: confer, impose, commit, confide, consign, delegate, recommend, relegate, repose, allocate, allot, authorize, empower, invest

  4. to pick (someone) by one's authority for a specific position or duty

    "commissioned him to head the office of veterans affairs"

    similar: appoint, assign, attach, constitute, designate, detail, name, nominate, place
    related: authorize, delegate, depute, deputize, anoint, consecrate, create, inaugurate, induct, install, instate, institute, invest, make, ordain, crown, enthrone, throne, choose, destine, draft, elect, handpick, select, single (out), vote (in)
    opposite: discharge, dismiss, expel, fire
    near: blackball, depose, dethrone, displace, eject, evict, oust, overthrow, remove, throw out, uncrown, unmake, unseat

Related Entry: In commission (phrase)

In commission is a different word from Commission. The synonyms below are for in commission, not for commission.

  1. being in effective operation

    "The classic old car is back in commission after undergoing an expensive restoration."

    similar: active, alive, functional, functioning, going, live, living, on, operating, operational, operative, running, working, in force, in gear, on line
    related: effective, effectual, employable, operable, usable, viable, workable, performing, producing, productive, serving, useful, yielding, astir, bustling, busy, dynamic, flourishing, humming, roaring, thriving
    opposite: broken, dead, inactive, inoperative, kaput, nonactivated, nonfunctional, nonfunctioning, nonoperating, nonoperational, nonoperative
    near: deactivated, decommissioned, ineffective, ineffectual, useless, inoperable, unusable, unworkable, arrested, asleep, dormant, fallow, idle, inert, latent, lifeless, nonproductive, quiescent, sleepy, stagnating, unproductive, vegetating

Related Entry: Out of commission (phrase)

Out of commission is a different word from Commission. The synonyms below are for out of commission, not for commission.

  1. not being in working order

    "The stove is out of commission right now, so we'll have to cook on the grill."

    similar: down, inoperable, inoperative, kaput, malfunctioning, nonfunctional, nonfunctioning, nonoperating, on the blink, on the fritz
    related: broken, off, deactivated, deadlocked, ineffective, ineffectual, nonproductive, unproductive, unusable, unworkable, useless
    opposite: functional, functioning, operable, operant, operating, operational, operative, running, working
    near: effective, effectual, employable, performing, producing, productive, serving, usable, useful, viable, workable

  2. not being in a state of use, activity, or employment

    "Part of the hotel is being renovated and is temporarily out of commission."

    similar: dead, dormant, fallow, free, idle, inactive, inert, inoperative, latent, off, unused, vacant, at rest, on the shelf
    related: abeyant, arrested, interrupted, suspended, unoccupied, asleep, comatose, lifeless, moribund, quiescent, sleepy, inoperable, unusable, unworkable, useless, dull, slow
    opposite: active, alive, busy, employed, functioning, going, living, on, operating, operative, running, working
    near: functional, operable, operational, workable, assiduous, industrious, sedulous, energetic, vigorous, feasible, practical, usable, useful, viable

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Commission

The most common words with a similar meaning to Commission:

British: charter
accreditation, authorization, delegation, empowerment, license, mandate, accomplishment, achievement, discharge, enactment, execution, fulfillment, implementation, performance, perpetration, prosecution, pursuance, committee, panel, appointment, assignment, designation, delegate, depute, deputize, accredit, authorize, certify, empower, enable, invest, qualify, vest, warrant, assign, charge, entrust, task, trust, appoint

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Commission

Words with the opposite meaning of Commission:

nonfulfillment, nonperformance, discharge, dismissal, dismission, expulsion, firing, disqualify, dismiss, expel, fire

Related Words for Commission

commendation, consignment, entrustment, facilitation, fostering, promotion, commanding, directing, ordering, dispatch, expedition, administration, direction, handling, management, application, operation, practice, standing committee, steering committee, subcommittee, mission, assembly, body, congress, convocation, council, synod, billet, gig

Near Antonyms of Commission

blackball, rejection, deposition, dethronement, ejection, eviction, ouster, overthrow, removal, abrogate, abdicate, ban, bar, block, constrain, deny, disallow, disbar, discourage, disenfranchise, disfranchise, exclude, hinder, hold back, impede, inhibit, obstruct, prevent, shut out, stop

Word Forms of Commission

Inflections: commissions, commissioned, commissioning

Origin & Etymology of Commission

Middle English commissioun "delegated authority, warrant delegating authority," borrowed from Anglo-French commission, borrowed from Medieval Latin commissiōn-, commissiō "commitment, entrusting, grant of authority," going back to Late Latin, "joining, engagement, sin," going back to Latin, "commencement of a game," from committere "to join together, engage, place in the keeping of, entrust, bring about" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action commit

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Commission

Words & Phrases Containing Commission

commission merchant, commission plan, in commission, on commission, out of commission, Royal Commission, subcommission

Frequently Asked Questions about Commission

What does "Commission" mean?

"Commission" means a formal written warrant granting the power to perform various acts or duties. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a formal written warrant granting the power to perform various acts or duties. It has 8 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Commission"?

Other words for "Commission" include accreditation, authorization, delegation, empowerment, license, mandate, accomplishment and achievement. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Commission" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Commission"?

There are 153 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Commission". Common alternatives include accreditation, authorization, delegation, empowerment, license, mandate, accomplishment, achievement, discharge and enactment.

What is the opposite of "Commission"?

Antonyms of "Commission" include nonfulfillment, nonperformance, discharge, dismissal, dismission, expulsion, firing and disqualify. Near antonyms include blackball, rejection, deposition and dethronement.

How do you use "Commission" in a sentence?

Examples of "Commission" in a sentence: "President Jefferson's commission to Lewis and Clark to explore the Louisiana Territory"; "a single burglar was responsible for the commission of all the break-ins"; "reported to a UN commission on the AIDS crisis".

Is "Commission" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Commission" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Commission" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Commission" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Commission"?

"Commission" is pronounced /kə-ˈmi-shən/ and divided into syllables as com·mis·sion.