noncommercial

British  

/ ˌnɒnkəˈmɜːʃəl /

adjective

1. not of, connected with, or involved in commerce

   noncommercial organizations

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Explanation

The adjective noncommercial describes something — such as an organization or an endeavor — that is not intended for making a profit. In other words, it is not a business. Noncommercial enterprises include things like public libraries, public schools, community theaters, and charitable organizations. They are not designed for generating revenue but for providing a public service or benefit. Many major museums, such as the Smithsonian, are noncommercial institutions. Their primary mission is to collect, preserve, and educate, rather than to make money for owners or shareholders. The money they charge for tickets is typically reinvested back into the museum's operations.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

noncommercial

Executives declined to share how many people booked a noncommercial flight.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 20, 2026

If universities in the Global North founded their own noncommercial journals and publishing platforms, they would regain control, Cetto says, both editorially and in terms of money saved.

From Science Magazine ● Dec. 4, 2024

Volunteering as a recording engineer at the noncommercial radio station KPFA, Lesh also spent time attending folk cafes, entering social circles that led him toward Garcia, a folk guitarist with a flair for bluegrass.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2024

That sort of noncommercial output made her record label, the Brazilian subsidiary of Columbia Records, reluctant to spend money in promotion, music writer said Chris Fuscaldo.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 28, 2024

But the least qualified people on Everest were not in fact guided clients at all; rather, they were members of traditionally structured, noncommercial expeditions.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer