command

1 of 3

verb

com·​mand kə-ˈmand How to pronounce command (audio)
commanded; commanding; commands

transitive verb

1
: to direct authoritatively : order
commanded adherence to the rules
2
: to exercise a dominating influence over : have command of: such as
a
: to have at one's immediate disposal
commands many resources
b
: to demand or receive as one's due
commands a high fee
c
: to overlook or dominate from or as if from a strategic position
a hill that commands the city
d
: to have military command of as senior officer
command a regiment
3
obsolete : to order or request to be given

intransitive verb

1
: to have or exercise direct authority : govern
a leader who knows how to command well
2
: to give orders
Rob seldom commanded, but when he did Master Ted had to give in.Louisa May Alcott
3
: to be commander
The general will command at the western front.
4
: to dominate as if from an elevated place
commandable adjective

command

2 of 3

noun

1
a
: an order given
The command was to hold fire.
b(1)
: a signal that actuates a device (such as a control mechanism in a spacecraft or one step in a computer)
(2)
: the activation of a device by means of such a signal
(3)
: a line of code (see code entry 1 sense 5) instructing a computer to send such a signal
2
a
: the ability to control : mastery
She was in command of her emotions.
b
: the authority or right to command
the officer in command
c(1)
: the power to dominate
The fort has command of the valley.
(2)
: scope of vision
The tower provides a wide command of the neighboring hills.
d
: facility in use
a good command of French
e
: control sense 1d
a pitcher with good command of his curveball
3
: the act of commanding
The troops will charge at command.
4
: the personnel, area, or organization under a commander
specifically : a unit of the U.S. Air Force higher than an air force
5
: a position of highest usually military authority
He was relieved of his command after being charged with misconduct.

command

3 of 3

adjective

: done on command or request
a command performance
Phrases
on command
: when an order is given : in response to a command
a dog trained to attack on command
Choose the Right Synonym for command

Verb

command, order, bid, enjoin, direct, instruct, charge mean to issue orders.

command and order imply authority and usually some degree of formality and impersonality.

command stresses official exercise of authority.

a general commanding troops

order may suggest peremptory or arbitrary exercise.

ordered his employees about

bid suggests giving orders peremptorily (as to children or servants).

she bade him be seated

enjoin implies giving an order or direction authoritatively and urgently and often with admonition or solicitude.

a sign enjoining patrons to be quiet

direct and instruct both connote expectation of obedience and usually concern specific points of procedure or method, instruct sometimes implying greater explicitness or formality.

directed her assistant to hold all calls
the judge instructed the jury to ignore the remark

charge adds to enjoin an implication of imposing as a duty or responsibility.

charged by the President with a secret mission

Noun

power, authority, jurisdiction, control, command, sway, dominion mean the right to govern or rule or determine.

power implies possession of ability to wield force, authority, or influence.

the power to mold public opinion

authority implies power for a specific purpose within specified limits.

granted the authority to manage her estate

jurisdiction applies to official power exercised within prescribed limits.

the bureau having jurisdiction over parks

control stresses the power to direct and restrain.

you are responsible for the students under your control

command implies the power to make arbitrary decisions and compel obedience.

the army officer in command

sway suggests the extent of exercised power or influence.

the empire extended its sway over the region

dominion stresses sovereign power or supreme authority.

given dominion over all the animals

Examples of command in a Sentence

Verb She commanded us to leave. Military leaders commanded the troops to open fire. She commanded that work on the bridge cease immediately. We had no choice but to do as they commanded. He commands a platoon of 60. With his skills and experience, he can command a high salary. The company commands much power and influence in the business world. Noun We are expected to obey his commands. She shouted out commands to the crew. We started to teach the dog simple commands like “sit” and “lie down.” You can perform several actions with keyboard commands. The system recognizes voice commands. He was relieved of his command after being charged with misconduct. Who is the officer in command of the unit? I assumed command of the business after my father's death. He immediately took command of the situation. He finally felt in command of his life. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Black women are known for their commanding versatility and limitless creativity through the art of hairstyling. Tenille Clarke, Essence, 12 Sep. 2023 At this tournament, the commanding arrival of Gauff, who won the women’s singles title Saturday evening, along with memorable performances by Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, proved that thinking wrong. Kurt Streeter, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2023 There was a time when Prince Harry basked in global affection as his work effortlessly commanded the public backing of the Queen, the President, and the First Lady. Victoria Murphy, Town & Country, 8 Sep. 2023 Lourd has emerged over the past 20 years as an industry rainmaker who commands respect from talent and management alike. Matt Donnelly, Variety, 7 Sep. 2023 With Justin Jefferson commanding most of the attention, T.J. should have a big year. Daniel Kohn, Spin, 6 Sep. 2023 Sudan’s military ruler General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who commands SAF, issued a decree to dissolve RSF on Wednesday. Nima Elbagir, CNN, 6 Sep. 2023 The crew of four is commanded by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Axiom Space's director of human spaceflight. Jamie Groh, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2023 In Auburn’s second offensive possession, after Thorne had piloted the Tigers inside the UMass 25-yard line, Freeze called on Ashford to command the offense the rest of the way. Ainslie Lee | Alee@al.com, al, 5 Sep. 2023
Noun
The command, which was coordinating the operation to free the cruise ship, said the nearest Danish navy ship was about 1,200 nautical miles (more than 2,000 kilometers or 1,380 miles) away. Jan M. Olsen, Anchorage Daily News, 13 Sep. 2023 Fischer put out a call for show dogs earlier this year, and on April 13, about a dozen dogs and their handlers showed up for an open dog audition at Copenhagen Music House to show off their talent for barking on command. Cathy Free, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023 Hundreds of transfers and hand-offs of command have been stalled. Todd J. Gillman, Dallas News, 10 Sep. 2023 For now, the strategic command center is at Mr. Morris’s dining room table in Malibu, not in Washington. Katie Rogers, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2023 He’s also helped the command with translation when necessary, though English is spoken in most places. Erika I. Ritchie, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Sep. 2023 Officeholders are visible, command media attention and have the power of the pulpit to speak directly to residents via their official activities. Emily Opilo, Baltimore Sun, 7 Sep. 2023 During a typhoon, when Queeg ordered the Caine to go south to escape the high winds, Lieutenant Maryk (Jake Lacy) relieved him of his command, steering the ship north. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 6 Sep. 2023 Some are designed to give an audio message while others have high-powered cameras that stream video to NYPD command centers, tablet devices in patrol cars and mobile devices in officers’ hands, the official said. Mark Morales, CNN, 2 Sep. 2023
Adjective
An upcoming marksmanship exercise for early-August was also canceled, as were a pre-command course, firearms training for soldiers who need to improve their marksmanship, and more. Oren Liebermann, CNN, 23 July 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'command.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English comanden, from Anglo-French cumander, from Vulgar Latin *commandare, alteration of Latin commendare to commit to one's charge — more at commend

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1826, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of command was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near command

Cite this Entry

“Command.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/command. Accessed 26 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

command

1 of 2 verb
com·​mand kə-ˈmand How to pronounce command (audio)
1
a
: to issue orders by right of authority
b
: to have authority and control over : be commander of
command an army
2
: to have for one's use
commands many resources
3
: to demand or receive as one's due : exact
commands a high fee
4
: to look down on especially from a militarily strong position
the hill commands the town

command

2 of 2 noun
1
: the act of commanding
march on command
2
: an order given
obey a command
3
a
: the ability to control : mastery
a good command of French
b
: the authority, right, or power to command
4
: the people, area, or unit under a commander
5
: a position from which military operations are directed

More from Merriam-Webster on command

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