commissioned

IPA/kəˈmɪʃ.ənd/
KK[kəmˈɪʃənd]IPA/kəˈmɪʃ.ənd/

commissioned — adjective

  • commissionedpositive
  • more commissionedcomparative
  • most commissionedsuperlative

1. describes an officer whose rank was formally granted by a government authority,

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes an officer whose rank was formally granted by a government authority, rather than earned by enlisting and rising through the lowest ranks.

Example

After graduating from the naval academy in Yokosuka, Takeshi became a **commissioned** officer.

collocation: commissioned officer

The base commander addressed thirty newly **commissioned** lieutenants at the morning ceremony.

collocation: newly commissioned + rank

Common collocations
  • commissioned officer
  • commissioned lieutenant
  • commissioned rank
  • newly commissioned
Synonyms
  • appointed

    broader and less specific; used in many professional contexts beyond the military

  • gazetted

    British English, refers specifically to official announcements in the London Gazette

Antonyms
  • non-commissioned

    describes soldiers who rise through enlisted ranks without a formal commission

  • enlisted

    refers to military members who join at the lowest rank

Grammar Patterns

commissioned + [military rank noun]

Usage Note

Frequently appears before military rank nouns such as 'officer', 'lieutenant', or 'captain'. The opposite is 'non-commissioned', used for soldiers who rise through the ranks without a formal commission.

Common Mistakes

He is a commission officer in the air force.
He is a commissioned officer in the air force.
The adjective form is 'commissioned', not the noun 'commission'.

2. describes a piece of creative or professional work that someone in authority has

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a piece of creative or professional work that someone in authority has formally requested and agreed to pay for.

Example

The museum displayed a **commissioned** painting of the city's founder at the entrance.

A **commissioned** report on traffic safety was published by the city council last week.

collocation: commissioned report

Common collocations
  • commissioned work
  • commissioned piece
  • commissioned report
  • commissioned portrait
  • newly commissioned
Synonyms
  • ordered

    more general and less formal; used for everyday goods and services

  • bespoke

    British English; emphasises that something is custom-made, especially for clothing or furniture

Antonyms
  • unsolicited

    describes work that was offered without being asked for

  • unrequested

    general term for anything not formally asked for

Grammar Patterns

commissioned + [creative or professional work noun]

Usage Note

Typically modifies nouns for creative or professional outputs: 'painting', 'report', 'piece' (of music or writing), 'sculpture', or 'portrait'.

3. describes a creative professional, such as an artist or writer, who has been for

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a creative professional, such as an artist or writer, who has been formally hired by a client to produce a specific piece of work.

Example

The **commissioned** artist painted a large mural for the public library's children's section.

As a **commissioned** photographer, Dahlia traveled across Africa to document wildlife for a conservation group.

collocation: commissioned photographer / artist / writer

Common collocations
  • commissioned artist
  • commissioned writer
  • commissioned photographer
  • commissioned designer
Synonyms
  • hired

    general term; less formal and does not carry the sense of creative authority

  • engaged

    formal term, especially for professional services like legal or creative work

Antonyms
  • self-employed

    describes someone who works for themselves and chooses their own projects

  • freelance

    describes someone who takes on independent projects without a formal commission

Grammar Patterns

commissioned + [profession noun for a creator]

Usage Note

Usually modifies occupation nouns: 'artist', 'writer', 'photographer', 'designer', 'composer'. Contrasts with 'self-employed' or 'freelance', which imply the person chooses their own projects.

4. describes a salesperson or agent whose income depends partly or entirely on a pe

4.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a salesperson or agent whose income depends partly or entirely on a percentage of the value of the goods or services they sell.

Example

The furniture store hired three **commissioned** salespeople to handle the holiday rush.

collocation: commissioned salesperson / salespeople

As a **commissioned** agent, Darius earned a lot more when he sold expensive insurance plans.

Common collocations
  • commissioned salesperson
  • commissioned agent
  • commissioned representative
  • commissioned seller
Synonyms
  • commission-based

    directly describes the payment structure; synonymous

  • freelance

    broader independence; not tied to a single employer's payment structure

Antonyms
  • salaried

    describes workers who receive a fixed regular payment regardless of sales

Grammar Patterns

commissioned + [sales profession noun]

Usage Note

Only sense that describes a payment arrangement. Common in retail, insurance, and real estate contexts. Often contrasted with 'salaried' (fixed pay regardless of sales volume).

Common Mistakes

She works as a commission salesperson for a car dealer.
She works as a commissioned salesperson for a car dealer.
Use the adjective 'commissioned', not the noun 'commission'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/2

'Commissioned' describes work formally requested by an authority, often carrying a sense of official or artistic prestige — a museum commissions a painting, a government commissions a report. 'Ordered' is broader and more casual: you order a meal or a product online. 'Bespoke' is British English and implies custom craftsmanship, such as a bespoke suit; it focuses on the tailoring process rather than the authority that requested it. 'Requested' is the most general and least formal — you request a song on the radio or request a day off. For a learner: use 'commissioned' when the work is official or artistic and someone in authority pays for it; use 'ordered' for everyday purchases; use 'bespoke' for high-end custom goods; use 'requested' when the situation is informal. For example, a painter might receive a commissioned portrait project from a city mayor, but ask a friend to pick up a book they ordered online.

commissioned ↗ordered ↗bespoke ↗requested ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

'Commissioned' comes from the Latin verb 'committere' meaning 'to entrust' or 'to bring together'. It passed through Old French as 'commission', which in medieval English referred to the written authority granted by a ruler or church official. By the 1600s it was used for the formal appointment of military officers. The modern adjective developed three distinct branches: the military meaning (someone granted official officer rank), the creative meaning (a work entrusted to an artist), and the sales meaning (someone trusted to sell goods in exchange for a share of the profit).

First known use

1612

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 4