commander

noun

com·​mand·​er kə-ˈman-dər How to pronounce commander (audio)
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
commandership noun

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
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.
Israel killed or imprisoned Palestinian commanders, along with thousands of civilians, leaving Palestinian operational units leaderless and uncoordinated. Sarah E. Parkinson, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2024 Israeli officials later said a local Hezbollah commander and several operatives were in the building. Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024 With a squad of rebels fanned out to watch for army patrols or helicopters, the unit commander and I and a few others talked for four hours. Matt Thompson, SPIN, 5 Nov. 2024 The artworks were found in chambers used by the commander of the Roman troops, and researchers have created a digital reconstruction of what the structure may have looked like in its heyday. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for commander 

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near commander

Cite this Entry

“Commander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commander. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

commander

noun
com·​mand·​er kə-ˈman-dər How to pronounce commander (audio)
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 noun

More from Merriam-Webster on commander

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!