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
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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
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Recent Examples of commander
Once hatches are opened, the spacecraft will be unloaded by Crew 12 commander Jessica Meir and her three crewmates, pilot Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot and cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
—
William Harwood, CBS News, 15 May 2026
In more than two decades with the department, Bales has worked as a patrol officer, homicide detective, internal affairs investigator and patrol watch commander.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 15 May 2026
The use of these drones has led to calls to expand the war in Lebanon from some commanders, a prospect made more difficult with the extension of the ceasefire.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 15 May 2026
Izz-al-Din al-Haddad, commander of Hamas's militant wing, was killed Friday in a strike in western Gaza City, Israeli forces said.
—Lior Soroka, Washington Post, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for commander
William Harwood, CBS News, 15 May 2026
In more than two decades with the department, Bales has worked as a patrol officer, homicide detective, internal affairs investigator and patrol watch commander.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 15 May 2026
The use of these drones has led to calls to expand the war in Lebanon from some commanders, a prospect made more difficult with the extension of the ceasefire.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 15 May 2026
Izz-al-Din al-Haddad, commander of Hamas's militant wing, was killed Friday in a strike in western Gaza City, Israeli forces said.
—Lior Soroka, Washington Post, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for commander
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commander
Noun
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Admiral Kevin Lunday, commandant of the Coast Guard, said the discovery reconnects the service to a defining moment in its history.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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Previously, warfare was about expensive platforms and precision strikes, driving a downsizing in military forces as countries increasingly relied on cutting-edge technology, said Blythe Crawford, former commandant of the RAF’s Air and Space Warfare Centre.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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England, in theory, have players who can offer a decent facsimile of this (Elliot Anderson and Ezri Konsa, in particular), but Tuchel seems inclined to build his England squad around striker and captain Harry Kane over anyone else.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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Up to 50 passengers showed symptoms consistent with acute digestive infection after the ship’s captain alerted French authorities on Tuesday evening, the statement said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
Noun
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Earlier, skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto hit 87 as Bangladesh set Pakistan 268 for victory on Day 5.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
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Of the others, Olivier Boscagli and Diego Coppola have both struggled for game time with skipper Lewis Dunk and Jan Paul van Hecke dominant in the centre of defence.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commander. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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