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
Naval commander, administrator, and buccaneer John Hawkins led an early English expedition to the Caribbean around 1562, taking three ships via what is today Sierra Leone.
—
Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Tymoshenko got their commander on the phone, and ran to find his bosses in the bunker.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Many of the marble mausoleums on this 14-acre spot are held by Argentina’s elite, some famous, others infamous—think past presidents, Nobel Prize winners, and military commanders.
—Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 22 Oct. 2025
Experts and onlookers have questioned with growing concern whether these strikes are legal, and whether military lawyers that the Pentagon has encouraged commanders to ignore had signed off on the operations.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commander
Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Tymoshenko got their commander on the phone, and ran to find his bosses in the bunker.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Many of the marble mausoleums on this 14-acre spot are held by Argentina’s elite, some famous, others infamous—think past presidents, Nobel Prize winners, and military commanders.
—Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 22 Oct. 2025
Experts and onlookers have questioned with growing concern whether these strikes are legal, and whether military lawyers that the Pentagon has encouraged commanders to ignore had signed off on the operations.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commander
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commander
Noun
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One of their leaders, a colonel of the Russian National Guard named Sergei Dovgan, began to act as the commandant of the surrounding town.—
Simon Shuster,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
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On January 21, one day into the new presidency, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security fired Admiral Linda Fagan, the first female commandant of the Coast Guard, without stating a reason.—
Max Boot,
Foreign Affairs,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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However, unlike last season, there was no sign to those within the Capitals that their captain was feeling the pressure of scoring another historic goal.—
Sean Gentille,
New York Times,
6 Nov. 2025
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Eddy came under fire after the op-ed published, with Angel City FC and the team's captain, center back Sarah Gorden, both denouncing the piece.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The team will hire 33-year-old Blake Butera as their new skipper, per multiple reports.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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The skipper spoke on his decision to change things ahead of such an important contest.—
Gabe Smallson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Commander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commander. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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