commander

noun

com·​mand·​er kə-ˈman-dər How to pronounce commander (audio)
Synonyms of commandernext
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
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Prescott was the British commander for Rhode Island. Lynne Sullivan, The Providence Journal, 28 Mar. 2026 The mission will initially rocket to low Earth orbit from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying NASA's Reid Williams (commander), Victor Glover (pilot) and Christina Koch (mission specialist), along with mission specialist Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 28 Mar. 2026 Its military released video of a top commander surveying troops in southern Lebanon. Npr Staff, NPR, 28 Mar. 2026 One source familiar with the deployment previously told CNN that the MEU’s presence gives commanders additional options for a range of contingencies. Moriah Thomas, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026 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

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Cite this Entry

“Commander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commander. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

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

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