commander

noun

com·​mand·​er kə-ˈman-dər 

1

: one in an official position of command or control: such as

a

: commanding officer

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

commandership

kə-ˈman-dər-ˌship 

noun

Synonyms of commander

• commandant

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

The service is also working through practical challenges, including how drones will be deployed and maintained, how pilots will manage their workload, and how commanders can trust autonomous aircraft to behave predictably in complex environments. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026

The video shows Putin wearing military uniform and greeting senior Russian commanders. — Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026

Ukraine has liberated 107 square miles in the operation that started in the summer, Ukraine's Third Army Corps commander Brig. — Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026

Wars erupt, crises develop, missions end and commanders are faced with unanticipated events to address. — James Laporta, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing commander

• commander in chief
• lieutenant commander
• wing commander

Rhymes for commander

• bystander
• expander
• highlander
• leander
• meander
• philander
• brander
• candor
• dander
• gander
• grander
• hander

Kids 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

commandership

-ˌship 

noun