1
as in presiding
highest in rank or authority
with the death of the general, he instantly became the commanding officer on the field of battle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in prominent
likely to attract attention
even in a room filled with world leaders, he was a commanding presence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in directing
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in instructing
to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority
the general commanded his troops with Caesar-like imperiousness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ordering
to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority
the governor has commanded that all state flags be flown at half-mast
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in demanding
to ask for (something) earnestly or with authority
an act of courage that commands the admiration of all who witnessed it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in governing
to exercise authority or power over
a cabinet secretary who commands the largest department in the federal government
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in having
to keep, control, or experience as one's own
local government does not command the resources that are needed to respond to such a huge disaster
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in dominating
to look down on
for centuries an imposing castle has commanded that stretch of the river
Synonyms & Similar Words
7
as in leading
to serve as leader of
the head of the agency commands an army of workers trained to respond to the immediate needs of disaster victims
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in asking
to set or receive as a price
commands a high fee for his decorating services
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 commanding
Kyle Foley, Orlando Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2025
But if the economic power of the two countries is measured correctly, the United States still has a commanding and durable advantage.
—Stephen G. Brooks, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2025
The bet: Vinícius Júnior as anytime goalscorer (6/5) Paris Saint-Germain vs Brest
With a commanding three-goal lead from the first leg Paris Saint-Germain are in the driver’s seat, allowing Luis Enrique to lean less on his superstar core.
—Julia Ranney, The Athletic, 19 Feb. 2025
Post misrepresents video of Trump at College Football Playoff title game
Trump became the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl on Feb. 9, watching as the Philadelphia Eagles built a commanding lead over the Kansas City Chiefs before leaving the game at halftime.
—Andre Byik, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Adjective
After a horrific giveaway from Orlando defender Rodrigo Schlegel, the Union took a commanding 3-1 lead in the 51st minute.
—Kyle Foley, Orlando Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2025
But if the economic power of the two countries is measured correctly, the United States still has a commanding and durable advantage.
—Stephen G. Brooks, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2025
The bet: Vinícius Júnior as anytime goalscorer (6/5) Paris Saint-Germain vs Brest
With a commanding three-goal lead from the first leg Paris Saint-Germain are in the driver’s seat, allowing Luis Enrique to lean less on his superstar core.
—Julia Ranney, The Athletic, 19 Feb. 2025
Post misrepresents video of Trump at College Football Playoff title game
Trump became the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl on Feb. 9, watching as the Philadelphia Eagles built a commanding lead over the Kansas City Chiefs before leaving the game at halftime.
—Andre Byik, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commanding
Adjective
-
Zelensky arrived at the White House wearing a black sweater with two buttons that featured the Ukrainian trident—a prominent element of the nation's flag and a symbol of power and authority—in addition to black cargo pants and boots.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
2 Mar. 2025
-
Another prominent franchise, Jersey Mike’s, just sold to Blackstone in November for 2.2 times its systemwide sales.—
Simone Melvin,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Lamont Westmoreland said the scam appears to work by sending recipients a text message saying the ticket needs to be addressed to avoid a late fee and instructing them to click a link.—
Alison Dirr,
Journal Sentinel,
30 Dec. 2024
-
The report includes WhatsApp messages that appear to show Sara Netanyahu instructing a former aide to organize protests against political opponents and to intimidate Hadas Klein, a key witness in her husband's corruption trial.—
Tom Rogers,
Newsweek,
26 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The Allies have won the war, by Eisenhower’s demanding standard of success.—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Dec. 2024
-
Jodie Turner-Smith is demanding that her estranged husband Joshua Jackson pay her child and spousal support in their ongoing divorce.—
Edward Segarra,
USA TODAY,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The terms governing the use of the character are set out in a 71-page license agreement executive summary which was released in a 2014 hack of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE).—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes,
3 Jan. 2025
-
The lawsuit alleges that the park’s ownership violated Florida’s laws governing mobile home evictions, including by raising rents within 90 days of issuing the notice to vacate and by not offering the homeowners’ association the first right of refusal to purchase the land.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
And that's the unique aspect of having unified control of the government.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Jan. 2025
-
Purdy’s story is a reminder that having – or paying – a curious technology person can pay off in a number of ways for your company.—
Gene Marks,
Forbes,
5 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Blending fiddle with a stomp-clap sing-along and a familiar hip-hop melody, the song etched a spot in music history this year by dominating charts and scoring near-countless streams.—
Matthew Leimkuehler,
Forbes,
31 Dec. 2024
-
With new brands emerging daily, celebrity endorsements dominating the narrative, and marketing claims becoming increasingly hyperbolic, standing out as a true industry leader requires more than innovative packaging or a catchy tagline.—
Lara Devgan,
Forbes,
30 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Texas gave up a season-high 336 passing yards and three touchdowns in its first-round Playoff win over Clemson, but the Sun Devils are without leading receiver Jordyn Tyson (75 catches, 1,101 yards, 10 TDs) in this game.—
Manny Navarro,
The Athletic,
31 Dec. 2024
-
Golden, in a white shirt and orange tie, walked out of a nearly empty stadium after leading the worst loss in Hurricanes history, a 58-0 home humiliation against Clemson.—
Matt Baker,
The Athletic,
31 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The new series of the British crime drama opens with a disturbing mystery, when the death of an elderly woman found in a cave has the team asking what drives a person to murder someone so vulnerable.—
Lily Ford,
The Hollywood Reporter,
27 Dec. 2024
-
But no one seemed all that interested in asking or talking about it Thursday, which makes this as good a time as any to revisit The Athletic’s midseason predictions for the Panthers.—
Joseph Person,
The Athletic,
27 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Commanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanding. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share