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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in captain
a person in overall command of a ship
the intrepid commander of the HMS Surprise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commander
The commander operated the main gun, a Puteaux SA 1918 37 mm cannon (or Hotchkiss machine gun), while a FT 31 machine gun was operated by the driver.
—
Matthew S Williams, Interesting Engineering, 1 May 2026
Mikkelsen will take the role of mission commander and Philips the role of pilot.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2026
Myers is a former commander and a 33-year veteran of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.
—Dave Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
In 1942, Bianchi served as commander of the Philippine Scouts on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines.
—Forum News Service, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for commander
Matthew S Williams, Interesting Engineering, 1 May 2026
Mikkelsen will take the role of mission commander and Philips the role of pilot.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2026
Myers is a former commander and a 33-year veteran of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.
—Dave Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
In 1942, Bianchi served as commander of the Philippine Scouts on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines.
—Forum News Service, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for commander
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commander
Noun
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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
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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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Dejan Joveljic capitalized on a gift of a back-pass from the Sounders captain, and Sporting earned a result against a Sounders side that had failed to win only twice in 2026.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
6 May 2026
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Since 1992, Ronnie has been the captain of this distinctive part of New Orleans’ culinary history.—
George Motz,
Southern Living,
6 May 2026
Noun
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In terms of skippers, our Frank Selee might rightly be considered more philosopher than a pugilist.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
6 May 2026
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The skipper started off his pregame press conference by sending condolences to the Yankees and to the Sterling family.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commander. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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