commissioner
Americannoun
-
commissioners
plural
-
a person commissioned to act officially; member of a commission.
-
a government official or representative in charge of a department or district.
the police commissioner; the commissioner of a colony.
-
an official chosen by an athletic association to exercise broad administrative or judicial authority.
the baseball commissioner.
noun
-
a person authorized to perform certain tasks or endowed with certain powers
-
government
-
any of several types of civil servant
-
an ombudsman See also Health Service Commissioner Parliamentary Commissioner
-
-
a member of a commission
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of commissioner
1400–50; late Middle English < Anglo-French. See commission, -er 2
Explanation
The noun commissioner refers to someone in charge of a formal group or organization, such as a police commissioner or a baseball commissioner. As you might guess, commissioner is related to commission, which describes a group that carries out a particular function. Commissioner can describe an official who directs or regulates a commission, or it can be that person's title. For example, if Theodore Young is the housing commissioner, in formal situations you’d refer to him as Commissioner Young.
Vocabulary lists containing commissioner
Things Fall Apart
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Articles of Confederation (1777)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Dawes Act
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Samuel Kiarie, the deputy commissioner of West Pokot county, says he thinks the rush began after two notable discoveries.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
Australia governor-general Sam Mostyn, the British monarch's representative, is a former Sydney Swans board member and the first woman AFL commissioner.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
Another factor is President Donald Trump’s nomination on Wednesday afternoon of a new Food and Drug Administration commissioner, which grants some certainty to investors who have been unsure about the future direction of the regulator.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
Atkins, who voted against the trade-through rule as an SEC commissioner in 2005, has argued that the rule caused a range of unintended consequences.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
Not long before my wedding, she’d been promoted to the role of commissioner in charge of planning and economic development for the city and had offered me a job as an assistant commissioner.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
He has warned there could be 'significant' financial costs coming down the line should commissioners be required.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
In July, county commissioners placed a moratorium on data-center construction, halting the project for six months.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
The commissioners accepted the gifts even as the FCC was reviewing or about to review major Paramount business decisions, including two megamergers.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
The four former commissioners have signed a joint letter arguing that the gondola proposal “would enable a private development to permanently and irreparably shrink, degrade, and destroy the integrity of a state park.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
Donelson, Feb. 16th Gen S. B. Buckner, Confed Army Sir: yours of this date proposing Armistice, and appointment of commissioners to settle terms of Capitulation is just received.
From "Across Five Aprils" by Irene Hunt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
