Thesaurus results for COMMERCE

Q: How is the word 'commerce' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of commerce are business , industry , trade , and traffic . While all these words mean "activity concerned with the supplying and distribution of commodities," commerce and trade imply the exchange and transportation of commodities.

Q: When might 'business' be a better fit than 'commerce'?

The meanings of business and commerce largely overlap; however, business may be an inclusive term but specifically designates the activities of those engaged in the purchase or sale of commodities or in related financial transactions.

Q: Where would 'industry' be a reasonable alternative to 'commerce'?

The words industry and commerce are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, industry applies to the producing of commodities, especially by manufacturing or processing, usually on a large scale.

Q: When would 'traffic' be a good substitute for 'commerce'?

The synonyms traffic and commerce are sometimes interchangeable, but traffic applies to the operation and functioning of public carriers of goods and persons.

commerce

noun

ˈkä-(ˌ)mərs

Definition of commerce

as in marketplace

the buying and selling of goods especially on a large scale and between different places a government agency in charge of regulating interstate commerce

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in interaction

doings between individuals or groups when I was doing outside consulting for the company, I never had much commerce with the in-house staff

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in sex

sexual union involving penetration of the vagina by the penis rumors of commerce between the lady and the knight spread throughout the court

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word commerce distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of commerce are business, industry, trade, and traffic. While all these words mean "activity concerned with the supplying and distribution of commodities," commerce and trade imply the exchange and transportation of commodities.

When might business be a better fit than commerce?

The meanings of business and commerce largely overlap; however, business may be an inclusive term but specifically designates the activities of those engaged in the purchase or sale of commodities or in related financial transactions.

Where would industry be a reasonable alternative to commerce?

The words industry and commerce are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, industry applies to the producing of commodities, especially by manufacturing or processing, usually on a large scale.

When would traffic be a good substitute for commerce?

The synonyms traffic and commerce are sometimes interchangeable, but traffic applies to the operation and functioning of public carriers of goods and persons.

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of commerce The dichotomy of tourism and commerce keeps this location appealing for those seeking an authentic submersion in the city. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026 Banksy’s stenciled rats, children with balloons, riot police, smiley faces and masked figures are instantly recognizable symbols of resistance to centralized power, war, consumerism, the mundanity of everyday life and the machinery of commerce. — Chad Radford, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026 Regressive health In recent years, state laws have been loosening on raw milk, despite a federal ban on interstate commerce. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 7 Oct. 2026 Maryland commerce officials said the Anduril Industries development is the biggest private-sector job announcement in the state in more than a decade. — Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for commerce

Recent Examples of Synonyms for commerce

Noun

Now heading into its 14th edition alongside the Lumière Film Festival, run by Cannes chief Thierry Frémaux, the MIFC remains relatively small but occupies a unique position as a marketplace devoted entirely to classic and heritage film.

— Lise Pedersen, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
What’s emerged is a schizophrenic marketplace where art and commerce have fused into The Substance.

— Joseph Kahn, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of marketplace

Noun

More than 350 million customers used it over the past year, while active users nearly doubled and interactions increased more than fivefold year over year in the second quarter, CEO Andy Jassy said.

— Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
Researchers, such as the complexity theorist Stuart Kauffman, began to construct simple mathematical models of the networks of gene interactions.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of interaction

Noun

Pilots from states without diplomatic relations with Israel, such as Oman, are in theory prohibited from landing in Israel.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 10 Oct. 2026
Cheeks got his first formal assignment on the creative side — and showed his talent relations skills — when, as EVP Business Operations for NBC and Universal TV, he was put in charge of NBC Late Night in 2014.

— Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of relations

Noun

Pilots from states without diplomatic relations with Israel, such as Oman, are in theory prohibited from landing in Israel.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 10 Oct. 2026
Cheeks got his first formal assignment on the creative side — and showed his talent relations skills — when, as EVP Business Operations for NBC and Universal TV, he was put in charge of NBC Late Night in 2014.

— Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of relation

Noun

Against the sounds of traffic, the groups hear pigeon mating sounds and babies squeaking for food.

— KYLE MELNICK THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
Males perform complex mating flights in the late summer months and into fall (August through October) which often involve intercepting prospective partners mid-air.

— Sean Donnelly, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of mating

Noun

The steady hum of activity hits a particularly resonant pitch on the Second Sunday of each month when the street closes to vehicular traffic and becomes a European-style pedestrian mall with outdoor eateries and prancing pets on leash.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Around 12% of the world’s trade, including a fourth of global container traffic, passes through the narrows, moving between Europe and Asia via Egypt’s Suez Canal.

— ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of traffic

Noun

Separately, the Dream earlier this year struck an agreement with women’s sports investment firm Monarch Collective to operate their merchandise business.

— Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 10 Oct. 2026
In recent years, business has also benefited from factors outside the company’s control, like a country music resurgence boosting the sale of acoustic guitars and Taylor Swift inspiring more young women to take up the instrument.

— Phil Wahba, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of business

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comments

commerce

commerces

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Commerce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commerce. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of commerce

noun

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