"Work for hire" is a legal term that refers to a certain type of contractual agreement between an employer and an independent contractor. It signifies that the commercial interest that results from the work produced by the contractor will belong exclusively to the employer. If you're looking for synonyms for work for hire, here are some suitable alternatives: commissioned work, freelance work, project-based work, job order agreement, proprietary work, service agreement, or simply, a contract. These terms can be used depending on the context of the agreement and its purpose. All of these synonyms essentially mean a work-product that is created to fulfill a specific business need and owned by the employer.