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
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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
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Recent Examples of captain
Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
Geoffrey Wall, of Barrie, Ontario, is alleged to have operated as an airline captain between 2009 and 2025 without a license to fly large commercial passenger planes, according to Peel Regional Police.
—CBS News, 10 June 2026
Esteban Campanela, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
The Wisconsin alumnae captained the Badgers and helped the team to three national championships.
—Twin Cities, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for captain
Noun
And his absence will be felt since Davies, sidelined since May 6 with a hamstring injury, is not only the team’s best player but also its captain.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
Geoffrey Wall, of Barrie, Ontario, is alleged to have operated as an airline captain between 2009 and 2025 without a license to fly large commercial passenger planes, according to Peel Regional Police.
—CBS News, 10 June 2026
Verb
Coach Didier Deschamps captained France to the 1998 title, led it to the championship as coach in 2018 and to a runner-up finish in 2022.
—Esteban Campanela, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
The Wisconsin alumnae captained the Badgers and helped the team to three national championships.
—Twin Cities, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for captain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captain
Noun
-
Because the Russian commanders keep attacking anyway, the Ukrainians are killing and wounding thousands of enemy soldiers, perhaps as many as 30,000, every month.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
-
During launch and landing, when the seats were assembled, to the left of the entrance was the seat of the pilot (NASA’s Victor Glover) and commander (NASA’s Reid Wiseman).—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
6 June 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 move suggests a broader shift in Tehran, where a new generation of leaders is increasingly abandoning the cautious, reactive approach that long defined the Islamic Republic’s strategy towards its adversaries.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
10 June 2026
-
Bains, backed by Democratic Party leaders and major labor organizations, ran as a more moderate Democrat with a healthcare background who occasionally broke with her party on Assembly votes.—
Mathew Miranda
June 9,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
In January, police in Cambodia also arrested Chen Zhi, the tycoon accused of running numerous scam compounds, a few months after the US seized about $15 billion in cryptocurrency tied to his businesses.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
3 June 2026
-
Ali kills the sex- and drug-trafficking tycoon with three shotgun blasts to the chest.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
To reduce the risk of an encounter with bears, the Mammoth Lakes Police Department and wildlife authorities advised the public to never approach bears, keep garbage securely stored, do not leave food outside, and keep dogs leashed and supervised.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
Espinoza urged parents to enroll children in swimming lessons, supervise children around water at all times and learn CPR.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Shasta County Superior Court judges denied two prior lawsuits that aimed to block Measure B from appearing on the ballot, including one from Shasta County’s attorney Joseph Larmour, without ruling on the substance of their cases.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
-
However, in June 2025, a federal judge dismissed Baldoni's countersuit, ruling that many of the statements at issue were legally protected and that the claims did not meet the legal standards required to proceed.—
Janelle Ash , Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Garrett commands two to three blockers per play, much as Donald did during his career.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
9 June 2026
-
Holly Andreatta conceded the 2nd District Placer County supervisor race, clearing the way for incumbent Shanti Landon to secure another four-year term after building a commanding lead in early election returns.—
Nicole Buss,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Three years later, the 54-year-old skipper has helped Georgia land a spot in the eight-team field at the College World Series for the first time since 2008.—
Mike Griffith,
AJC.com,
11 June 2026
-
After joining Lokesh Rahul (100) with a century of his own on Day 1, Indian skipper Shubman Gill could only add another 23 runs before he was caught behind off Saleem (4-109) for 126, with 15 fours and a six.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Captain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captain. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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