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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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

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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
It's been all Agee early on, with the A&M captain up to 10 points, four rebounds and one assist at the third media timeout. American Statesman Sports Desk, Austin American Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026 The show follows Hobie (Amell), who is now a Baywatch captain following in the footsteps of his father, Mitch (played in the original by Hasselhoff). Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
Payton's team, Founders FFC, is captained by Tom Brady and Jalen Hurts. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2026 In my first 13 years of sailing, Jeanne's father, Bob, captained the ship. Betsy Andrews, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for captain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captain
Noun
  • The release was accompanied by a statement from the commander of Ramat David Air Base describing recent missions flown deep into Iranian territory, including operations over the capital, Tehran.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Our commanders factor all of this.
    Major Garrett, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • With a German commandant enraged, Edmonds stood his ground and invoked prisoners' rights under international law.
    ABC News, ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
  • The controversial wording was later removed after two Democratic lawmakers put a hold on Lunday’s nomination for commandant until the manual was changed.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The conflict was sparked by Hezbollah targeting Israel after the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, breaking a 2024 ceasefire that in any case had largely failed.
    Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Now that local leaders have cleared the way, CoreCivic can begin accepting detainees under its $60 million-a-year contract with ICE.
    Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Just as Charles died after falling overboard from a luxury yacht named after his daughter, the Lady Yasmin, Maxwell's father, media tycoon Robert Maxwell, died after falling off his own yacht, the Lady Ghislaine.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 2 Mar. 2026
  • An appellate court in Hong Kong reversed fraud convictions against former media tycoon Jimmy Lai.
    CBS News, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Temporary monitoring, including fire watch coverage, may help show that building managers took steps to supervise the property while repairs were underway.
    Matthew Kayser, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
  • All schools will be open, breakfast and lunch will be provided, and all students will be properly supervised.
    Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • While discussing the current compensation system in college sports, the president went on a tirade against the Supreme Court for unanimously ruling against the NCAA’s restrictions on noncash compensation for college athletes in 2021.
    David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 7 Mar. 2026
  • The company, however, remains entangled in several ongoing lawsuits, including one in which a state judge ruled last week that Sable still needed to comply with state and local requirements before a restart as outlined in the federal consent decree that followed the 2015 spill.
    Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The back line compresses space, the midfield disrupts passing lanes and Ferree has commanded his box with composure beyond his years.
    Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Lincoln’s overall forte is a commanding road presence.
    James Raia, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Thom Sweeney virgin wool long-sleeve skipper polo shirt, $775.
    Naomi Rougeau, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Baylor skipper Mitch Thompson, who has coached in the state of Texas since 1998, called it the best Texas pitching staff he’s ever seen.
    David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 1 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Captain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captain. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

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