commander
noun
com·mand·er
kə-ˈman-dər 
1
: one in an official position of command or control: such as
b
: the presiding officer of a society or organization
2
: a commissioned officer in the navy or coast guard ranking above a lieutenant commander and below a captain
Examples of commander in a Sentence
a surrender of the fort by the commander without a single shot having been fired
the intrepid commander of the HMS Surprise
Recent Examples on the Web
When his estranged son vanishes during a space mission, a once-legendary, now fallen from grace shuttle commander is pulled into a high-stakes hostage exchange in space to get his boy back from captors who are not from Earth.
—
Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 12 May 2025
The military services were rushing to put out new guidance to help commanders work through the process, including what to do in more complex situations, such as if any of the troops are deployed, at sea or may require special orders or funding to meet the deadlines.
—Lolita C. Baldor, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2025
Her husband scolds her for trusting a commander, then calls her out for still having feelings for him.
—Matt Cabral, EW.com, 6 May 2025
The next day, Acton Police commanders including Chief James Cogan and Lieutenant Ed Lawton reviewed the incident, the department said.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for commander
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.
Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 12 May 2025
The military services were rushing to put out new guidance to help commanders work through the process, including what to do in more complex situations, such as if any of the troops are deployed, at sea or may require special orders or funding to meet the deadlines.
—Lolita C. Baldor, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2025
Her husband scolds her for trusting a commander, then calls her out for still having feelings for him.
—Matt Cabral, EW.com, 6 May 2025
The next day, Acton Police commanders including Chief James Cogan and Lieutenant Ed Lawton reviewed the incident, the department said.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for commander
Cite this Entry
“Commander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commander. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
commander
noun
com·mand·er
kə-ˈman-dər
1
: one in official command especially of a military force or base
2
: a naval commissioned officer with a rank just below that of captain
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share