1
as in commandant
one in official command especially of a military force or base a surrender of the fort by the commander without a single shot having been fired

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2
as in captain
a person in overall command of a ship the intrepid commander of the HMS Surprise

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of commander There, they will be greeted by the incumbent Shenzhou 19 crew, led by commander Cai Xuzhe. Andrew Jones, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2025 At the same time, Thomas was promoted from commander to deputy chief of the Aurora Police Department through an appointment by the Aurora City Council. R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 23 Apr. 2025 Thank goodness for a certain commander’s impeccable timing! Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 22 Apr. 2025 Hamas’ top military commander, Mohammad Deif, was killed during a strike in July 2024. Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for commander
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commander
Noun
  • Her departure follows earlier dismissals of Admiral Linda Fagan, who had been serving as Coast Guard commandant, and Admiral Lisa Franchetti, previously nominated to lead the Navy.
    Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
  • One of Trump’s earliest actions was relieving the commandant of the Coast Guard.
    Varad Mehta, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • At the time, the former zookeeper was worried about the couple's chances for the chaplain, warden and the captain to approve their paperwork.
    Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Becker said a few minutes later, the captain ordered an evacuation, and the emergency slides were deployed.
    Zach Wichter, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Most America’s Cup skippers have barely embarked on their first campaign at his age, let alone won three.
    Andrew Rice, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
  • The Australians never quite hit their stride, as skipper Tom Slingsby acknowledged.
    Andrew Rice, The Athletic, 22 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Commander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commander. Accessed 6 May. 2025.

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