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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to command
to serve as leader of
you did a good job of captaining the team
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 27 May 2026
The police captain said only one person remained in the hospital as of Wednesday morning.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 27 May 2026
Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 24 May 2026
Sonny captained the Spurs to a UEFA Europa League championship in his final year in London, the team’s first major trophy in 17 years.
—Steve Kornacki, NBC news, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for captain
Noun
The Knights didn’t have captain Mark Stone for Games 1 and 2 in Denver.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 27 May 2026
The police captain said only one person remained in the hospital as of Wednesday morning.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 27 May 2026
Verb
Royals captain Salvador Perez hit a two-run single and rookie catcher Carter Jensen added a two-run double.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 24 May 2026
Sonny captained the Spurs to a UEFA Europa League championship in his final year in London, the team’s first major trophy in 17 years.
—Steve Kornacki, NBC news, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for captain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captain
Noun
-
Zelenskyy indicated battlefield gains over the next six months could strengthen Ukraine's hand in future peace talks, echoing remarks made last week by Brigadier General Andriy Biletsky, a top Ukrainian commander.—
Richard Escobedo,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
-
Many Naxal commanders are not taken alive.—
Dhruv Tikekar,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
The State Police will also hire a civilian director to work alongside the academy’s commandant, and institute baseline physical and psychological screenings for recruits before the academy begins.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
20 May 2026
-
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
Noun
-
The playoff leader in goals, Howden had a beautiful tip on a shot by Theodore for his 11th of the playoffs and perhaps his most important in Game 1.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
-
In 1940, French President General Charles de Gaulle checked in to conduct war meetings with US and British leaders.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Ali kills the sex- and drug-trafficking tycoon with three shotgun blasts to the chest.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
1 June 2026
-
Written and directed by Ritchie, In the Grey follows Rachel (González), a brilliant lawyer and high-stakes negotiator who is tasked by a wealthy client, Bobby (Rosamund Pike), to recover $1 billion stolen from her company by Manny (Carlos Bardem), a ruthless criminal tycoon.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Color grading was supervised by Indian National Film Award-winning cinematographer Avik Mukhopadhyay.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
2 June 2026
-
Put it to work now, but supervise it like junior talent.—
Brian Solis,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
India’s capitalist economy is booming, and the ruling Hindu-nationalist government is crushing its above-ground leftist opponents at the ballot box.—
Dhruv Tikekar,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
Lawmakers in Vietnam elected Communist Party chief To Lam as president on April 7, 2026, the chairman of the National Assembly said, making Lam head of state as well as general secretary of the ruling party.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
The neighborhood/area Housed in a former fort, the hotel occupies a commanding position over the village of Delwara.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Brazil will head off to their World Cup headquarters in New Jersey this week with a spring in their step after a commanding victory against Panama on Sunday night.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Roy Keane has been taking pot shots at current skipper Bruno Fernandes.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
And his skipper couldn’t be prouder.—
Joaquin Ruiz,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Captain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captain. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
