1
as in commander
a person in overall command of a ship
the captain is responsible for everything that happens to his ship in the course of a voyage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in commandant
one in official command especially of a military force or base
the captain of the largest army ever marshaled for battle in this country
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in leader
the person (as an employer or supervisor) who tells people and especially workers what to do
we only do what the captain tells us to, so it's not our fault when things don't work out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in tycoon
a person of rank, power, or influence in a particular field
a fascinating magazine article profiling the captains of the American auto industry
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to supervise
to be in charge of
if you do well on this, you'll be asked to captain the next mission
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to rule
to exercise authority or power over
captained the project for a few days while the boss was out of town
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3
as in to command
to serve as leader of
you did a good job of captaining the team
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of captain
Bobby Narang, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026
When the sway gets too risky, the captain closes some of the outer decks.
—Akash Kapur, New Yorker, 12 May 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2026
Emma Jenkins, Senior, Keller Fossil Ridge Jenkins captained Fossil Ridge to its first playoff appearance in 14 years, finishing the season with 15 goals.
—Charles Baggarly
may 7, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for captain
Noun
Amezquita, a team captain, has helped power Warren (11-3-1, 5-1) to the top of the North Suburban Conference and the top seed in the Class 3A Harlem Sectional in her second season as a starter.
—Bobby Narang, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026
When the sway gets too risky, the captain closes some of the outer decks.
—Akash Kapur, New Yorker, 12 May 2026
Verb
The Dewberry partners with bespoke chartering club Barton & Gray, so when weather permits, hotel guests can reserve an outing aboard a classic Hinckley Talaria boat, fully captained for custom, catered excursions to remote beaches and intercoastal waterways.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2026
Emma Jenkins, Senior, Keller Fossil Ridge Jenkins captained Fossil Ridge to its first playoff appearance in 14 years, finishing the season with 15 goals.
—Charles Baggarly
may 7, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for captain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captain
Noun
-
As the attack unfolded on Sunday morning, Ukraine’s commander of the Unmanned System Forces posted a message on his official Telegram account, addressed to the residents of Patriarchy, one of Moscow’s elite residential districts.—
Kosta Gak,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
-
Prosecutors allege Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi served as a commander for Kata’ib Hizballah and worked with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Admiral Kevin Lunday, commandant of the Coast Guard, said the discovery reconnects the service to a defining moment in its history.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Previously, warfare was about expensive platforms and precision strikes, driving a downsizing in military forces as countries increasingly relied on cutting-edge technology, said Blythe Crawford, former commandant of the RAF’s Air and Space Warfare Centre.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The detentions come after a handful of other arrests months earlier, but Fúnez has long been pinpointed by local environmental and religious leaders as the man who spearheaded the assassination.—
Marlon González,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
Unlike other Western leaders—and the foreign-policy establishment in Washington—Sánchez sees China in more pragmatic terms rather than as necessarily a strategic rival.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
The ethnic Hutu business tycoon was indicted on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity for allegedly arming Hutu militias that massacred more than 800,000 mostly ethnic Tutsis in 1994.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
Washington Post,
16 May 2026
-
Nelson Peltz even officiated the couple’s vow renewal ceremony in August 2025 at the tycoon’s compound in Westchester, New York.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Our Rescue provided resources to help pay for software to search suspects’ computers and cellphones, according to Liam Doyle, supervising investigator with the district attorney’s office.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
The lawsuit claims that Santana was the lead detective assigned to the case, while Smith was the sergeant who supervised the investigative team.—
Sarah Perkel,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Hicks' cause of death was asphyxiation and his manner of death was ruled a suicide.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
-
Since the North Carolina Supreme Court ruled against the arcades in 2022, police have started cracking down.—
Jeff A. Chamer
May 15,
Charlotte Observer,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Imai hasn’t commanded his arsenal against anyone, but his inability to neutralize lefties has been of particular concern to team officials.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
In that scenario, the Nebraska players would have a more compelling legal argument that a change in legal interpretation of the House settlement commands a court to vacate the arbitration decision.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
12 May 2026
Noun
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Earlier, skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto hit 87 as Bangladesh set Pakistan 268 for victory on Day 5.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
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Of the others, Olivier Boscagli and Diego Coppola have both struggled for game time with skipper Lewis Dunk and Jan Paul van Hecke dominant in the centre of defence.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Captain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captain. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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