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Meaning & use

commercially available

adjective·Academic

Last updated

UK/kəˈmɜːʃəli əˈveɪləbl/
US/kəˈmɝːʃəli əˈveɪləbl/

Meanings

  1. adjectivenot comparable

    Able to be bought by the public from companies, rather than existing only in a laboratory or as a plan.

    Grammar: Used after the verb 'be' or before a noun: 'The drug is commercially available' or 'a commercially available product'.

    Patterns

    • be commercially available
    • become commercially available
    • a commercially available product

    The vaccine is now commercially available in most countries.

    Researchers tested a commercially available sensor instead of building their own.

    Electric vans only became commercially available a few years ago.

  2. adjectivebefore a noun

    Sold as a standard product in shops, as opposed to a special or homemade version.

    Grammar: Often comes before a noun to contrast with a custom or homemade item: 'commercially available software'.

    Patterns

    • commercially available software
    • commercially available equipment

    They replaced the custom tool with commercially available software.

    For safety, the lab uses commercially available equipment wherever possible.

Common combinations

become commercially available
The new battery should become commercially available next year.
widely commercially available
Solar panels are now widely commercially available at low prices.
a commercially available product
We compared our results with a commercially available product.
make something commercially available
The company plans to make the device commercially available in spring.

Synonyms and how they differ

on the market
'On the market' means it is being offered for sale now; 'commercially available' also stresses that it is produced and sold by companies.
off-the-shelf
'Off-the-shelf' describes a standard product bought as it is, often in contrast to a custom one; 'commercially available' is about being sold publicly at all.

Opposites

unavailable

Word family

commercial adjective
connected with buying and selling
availability noun
the state of being able to be obtained
commercialize verb
to start selling something to make money

Commonly confused: commercially available or available commercially?

commercially available vs available commercially

This means the same thing but is used after the verb: 'It is available commercially.' 'Commercially available' usually goes before a noun.

Practice

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