captain 1 of 2

Definition of captainnext
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

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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

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3
4

captain

2 of 2

verb

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 captain
Noun
The captain anchored a backline that recorded 10 shutouts on the season, bringing a commanding presence that set the tone for the Dragons throughout the year. Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 May 2026 The initial seed funding came from Terry Tallen, a two-time Indiana football captain under Corso who went on to become one of the country’s most successful real estate developers. Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 May 2026
Verb
Keegan Bradley captained last year's team at Bethpage Black, which had an embarrassing first two days but gave a valiant effort at an unprecedented comeback in Sunday singles. Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026 General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was fired in January, and longtime personnel executive Rob Brzezinski is set to captain the draft in the absence of a permanent replacement. Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for captain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captain
Noun
  • But things spun out of his control when Tanaghrisson drove a hatchet into the French commander’s skull and his men began killing the wounded.
    Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • Police commander Chiarello Giuseppina got new duties this past summer when Portofino banned drinking alcohol or sitting on the ground in main streets and squares.
    Seth Doane, CBS News, 3 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
  • The crowd includes top business leaders, including Apple’s Tim Cook and NVIDIA's Jensen Huang.
    Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Senior defender Peyton Johnson, Elizabeth’s older sister, is Oswego’s other team leader.
    Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Yet the story of the toiler turned tycoon persisted.
    Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • In 2022, Jack landed a new job as a marketing executive with property tycoon Mike Meldman — one of Clooney's business partners — which required the family to begin splitting their time between England and Portugal.
    Emy LaCroix, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
Verb
  • Staff are on hand 24 hours a day to supervise crafts and games, water sports, reef fishing, cookery classes, crab hunts, and marine biologist excursions.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Also, the researchers sometimes caught the Claudes trying to cheat by simply instructing the strong model directly rather than figuring out ways to get the weak teacher to supervise the strong model.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • That 2024 decision sidestepped the core issues, however, by ruling that the antiabortion doctors behind the case didn’t have legal standing to sue.
    Geoff Mulvihill, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
  • Louisiana appealed the decision to the Fifth Circuit, which ruled Friday in its favor.
    Aria Bendix, NBC news, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • The agreement included a unique clause, never before reported, that would have reduced the total payment if the NWSL’s 18th club did not command an expansion fee of at least $200 million, according to five people familiar with the agreement.
    Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Ad-pricing improvements and sharper targeting continue to drive roughly 30% year over year top-line growth — a number that commands respect at this scale.
    Michael Khouw, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • As the new Sox skipper began walking out to the mound, his starter emphatically shook his head from side to side.
    Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Anthony Contreras, the skipper for the team’s Triple-A affiliate, is now the big league third base coach.
    Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Captain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captain. Accessed 7 May. 2026.

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