commanding

adjective

com·​mand·​ing kə-ˈman-diŋ 

1

: drawing attention or priority

a commanding presence

2

: difficult to overcome

a commanding lead

commandingly

kə-ˈman-diŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• presiding
• chief
• leading
• supreme
• lead
• top
• foremost
• primary
• high
• senior
• first
• principal

Examples of commanding in a Sentence

He has a very commanding voice.

She holds a commanding lead in the polls.

Our team was in a commanding position as the game neared its end.

The castle is in a commanding position at the top of the hill.

The hill provides a commanding view of the surrounding countryside.

Recent Examples on the Web

Trent Grisham also mashed a three-run shot off the right-field foul pole to give the Bombers what looked like a commanding 9-4 lead. —James O'Connell, New York Daily News, 2 Aug. 2025

Paxton has held a commanding polling lead for months, fueling concern among national Republicans that his nomination could give Democrats a stronger shot at flipping a longtime red seat. —Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 2 Aug. 2025

The post was a calm image that’s minimal yet commanding, with clean typography and a modern monochrome palette that suggests both intellectual depth and style authority. —Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 29 July 2025

Davido - Sunday Aug 17th Afrobeats Icon A commanding presence in global music, Davido returns as a headliner following his 2023 performance in Ghana, promising a show that blends hit after hit with undeniable charisma. —Corein Carter, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing commanding

• commanding officer
• commanding presence

Rhymes for commanding

• demanding
• disbanding
• expanding
• freestanding
• misbranding
• outstanding
• remanding
• upstanding
• withstanding
• banding
• branding
• handing