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 of commanding

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

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

There’s something new at work — a cultural hairpin turn — in the way that Apple is made out to be a figure of commanding but toxic damage. —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026

Republicans have a less commanding lead, 52-44, among Catholics. —John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026

He's gone from about halfway down the list in the betting odds to having a pretty commanding lead over Johnson in Atlanta. —Zach Harper, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026

Croke entered 2026 with a commanding financial advantage over her primary opponents, ending 2025 with more than $833,000 in her campaign fund — more than her three Democratic rivals combined. —Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026

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