commanding

adjective

com·​mand·​ing kə-ˈman-diŋ 

1

: drawing attention or priority

a commanding presence

2

: difficult to overcome

a commanding lead

commandingly

kə-ˈman-diŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of commanding

• presiding
• chief
• leading
• supreme
• lead
• top
• foremost
• primary
• high
• senior
• first

Examples of commanding in a Sentence

He has a very commanding voice.

She holds a commanding lead in the polls.

Our team was in a commanding position as the game neared its end.

The castle is in a commanding position at the top of the hill.

The hill provides a commanding view of the surrounding countryside.

Recent Examples on the Web

Or perhaps the Black policemen, who often watched the house without their white commanding officer, secretly sympathized with the uprising. —Literary Hub, 16 June 2026

Moments after the Knicks completed the largest comeback in NBA Finals history in Game 4 — erasing a 29-point deficit to take a commanding 3-1 series lead over the San Antonio Spurs — Stiller burst through the postgame interview room doors like the Kool-Aid Man. —Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 15 June 2026

As the Knicks take a commanding 3-1 series lead into Game 5 on Saturday night, here are three big-picture takeaways from the matchup, some of which could contain lessons for the Nuggets to heed. —Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 12 June 2026

The Boston Celtics overcome a 24-point deficit and beat the Lakers 97-91 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the NBA finals. —Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing commanding

• commanding officer
• commanding presence

Rhymes for commanding

• demanding
• disbanding
• expanding
• freestanding
• misbranding
• outstanding
• remanding
• upstanding
• withstanding
• banding
• branding
• handing