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
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2
as in captain
a person in overall command of a ship
the intrepid commander of the HMS Surprise
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Commander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commander. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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