1
as in commandant
one in official command especially of a military force or base a surrender of the fort by the commander without a single shot having been fired

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in captain
a person in overall command of a ship the intrepid commander of the HMS Surprise

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of commander Melvin Morris, an African American soldier, retrieved under fire at Chi Lang, Vietnam, the body of another team commander on Sept. 17, 1969. Richard J. Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 May 2025 Schuster, a 17-year veteran, has been the department’s commander since 2020. Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2025 Yair Golan, a former Israeli deputy commander and chairman of the Democrats party in the Knesset, offered on Monday perhaps the strongest political rebuke of Netanyahu’s government yet, accusing the prime minister of leading the nation down a path of immorality and destruction. Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 22 May 2025 Lawrence sacrifices himself, as well as Nick and Wharton, by sneaking a bomb onto the commanders' D.C.-bound plane. EW.com, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for commander
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commander
Noun
  • The photo album belonged to Karl Höcker, a former bank clerk who came to Auschwitz to be commandant Richard Baer’s right-hand man.
    Karen D'Souza, Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Soon afterward, some online noted that the band’s X account had been deactivated and assumed — incorrectly — it was tied to Casey’s criticism of President Trump and his co-president, X commandant Elon Musk.
    Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 18 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The Stars’ captain, Benn, absolutely plastered Bouchard in the second period with a heavy hit on the forecheck.
    Pierre LeBrun, New York Times, 27 May 2025
  • Normally, the Knicks’ captain, floor general and reigning NBA Clutch Player of the Year is on the court when his team is trying to win a game in the final period.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 26 May 2025
Noun
  • The 73-year-old skipper, in his second season leading the Halos, identified a characteristic missing from last year’s Angels.
    Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2025
  • The skipper leapt over the hoardings and ran up the stadium steps to celebrate with Juventus fans, capping an excellent performance on the night.
    Adam Digby, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Commander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commander. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on commander

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!