Loans And Allowance For Loan Losses Loans And Allowance For Loan Losses (Loans to Directors and Executive Officers) (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Loans and Leases Receivable, Related Parties [Roll Forward]
Loans to directors and executive officers, beginning balance	$ 63,737
Additions	547,001
Amounts collected	(547,864)
Amounts written off	0
Loans to directors and executive officers, ending balance	$ 62,874

Reflects the amount of loans made to related parties that have been written off during the period.

No definition available.

Name:	cbsh_LoansAndLeaseReceivableRelatedPartyWriteOffs
Namespace Prefix:	cbsh_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

For an unclassified balance sheet, reflects the carrying amount of unpaid loan amounts due from related parties at the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7(e))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableRelatedParties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Reflects the amount of new advances made to related parties in the form of loan and lease receivables.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableRelatedPartiesAdditions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of cash inflow from related parties which reduce the amount of loans and leases receivable due from related parties.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableRelatedPartiesProceeds
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableRelatedPartiesRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration