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 Farmers, truckers and others who keep commerce humming in the United States have to raise their prices in order to digest higher diesel costs. — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2026 Illicit international pharmaceutical commerce is a major problem worldwide. — Andrew Yockey, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026 Critics of the law view it as a relic that plaintiffs' lawyers are trying to exploit in a way that Congress could not have anticipated before the internet revolutionized commerce. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 Agents force us to reinvent the trust infrastructure that commerce has always depended on. — Alex Zuck, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for commerce

Recent Examples of Synonyms for commerce

Noun

ChatGPT is the most popular chatbot in the world, commanding nearly half the American marketplace, states said in their lawsuits.

— Marc Levy, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Days ago, the chief content officer at the streaming giant was in Cannes receiving an honor while the MIPCOM marketplace was in full swing, before turning to unveil a major World Cup media rights deal a day later.

— Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of marketplace

Noun

Meanwhile, second-unit director Peter Ramsey worked alongside stunt performers, with some creature interactions achieved through surprisingly simple physical stand-ins.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Removing a product from the browsing history display should not be treated as confirmation that Amazon has deleted every record of the interaction.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of interaction

Noun

Smith praised Carney for improving relations with a province that frequently clashed with his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, over his carbon tax and other energy policies.

— Rob Gillies, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
The waiver also raises questions about Washington’s commitment to Ukraine as relations between the two countries deteriorate.

— Rebecca Schneid, Time, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of relations

Noun

Smith praised Carney for improving relations with a province that frequently clashed with his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, over his carbon tax and other energy policies.

— Rob Gillies, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
The waiver also raises questions about Washington’s commitment to Ukraine as relations between the two countries deteriorate.

— Rebecca Schneid, Time, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of relation

Noun

The crab digs shallow burrows for mating and molting and frequently maintains several burrows within its territory, the USGS report states.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
The gear’s teeth and internal ribs came through clearly, as did the clip’s narrow gate and mating features.

— Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of mating

Noun

With Tar & Roses’ proximity to the Santa Monica Mountains, Kirschner said the Palisades fires also led to a sustained drop in restaurant traffic.

— Melody Xu, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
The aforementioned 3-terabyte attack evolved continuously, from multiple vectors, with shifting techniques and waves of traffic.

— Carlos Morales, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of traffic

Noun

Most questions were friendly and business-centric, but Marshall also gave his opinion on several polarizing issues, including federal immigration enforcement, tariffs and the war in Iran.

— Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026
View gallery - 4 images For all the extraordinary things that consumer 3D printers can produce, changing color has remained a surprisingly messy business.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of commerce

noun

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