on commission

Idioms  

1. Making money based on sales or services rendered, as in Real estate agents rarely get a salary; they work largely on commission. This use of the noun commission, which generally refers to a percentage of the total price, dates from the early 1700s.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

on commission

He made pictures to suit himself, for his own pleasure, not for a monarch or on commission.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026

"But I'm paid only on commission, and the idea of no longer being able to afford to stay here -- that, yes, that scares me."

From Barron's ● Mar. 13, 2026

They may earn at least a partial salary from that carrier rather than rely solely on commission, and they work for large well-established companies such as USAA, Allstate and State Farm.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 13, 2026

The UK's highest court sided with finance companies in two out of three crucial test cases focusing on commission payments made by banks and other credit providers to car dealers.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2025

From his new perch, Strauss fixed his sights on Oppenheimer’s last means of direct influence on commission policy, a consultantship he had been awarded by the previous chairman, Gordon Dean.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik