captain 1 of 2

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
The plane navigator spots Sheen and invites him to the cockpit, where the captain asks for a photo. Michael Schneider, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025 Maurice, who designated himself as the captain and last word on the boat, could not cope with the daily struggles of staying alive. Susan Young, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
According to the report, Scheffler and McIlroy will each captain four-player teams, likely one consisting of American players and the other of international players. Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025 Such was her ability, she was even elected to captain the boys U15 team. Asif Burhan, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for captain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captain
Noun
  • Matthew Lugowski, the fitness course commander.
    Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Unlike expensive satellites or large drones such as the Global Hawk, Skydweller offers commanders a cheaper option for persistent monitoring.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The commandant had also stayed behind, in his office.
    Charles Pellegrino, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Mahoney also performed the duties of acting commandant of the Marine Corps from November 2023 to March 2024 after Gen. Eric Smith suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized.
    Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • County waste managers and leaders hope proposals from emerging companies will help residents better understand how to sort waste properly and reduce landfill use.
    Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, OpenAI founder Sam Altman, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai were among the top tech leaders at the dinner.
    Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • After killing off Jon Hamm’s oil tycoon Monty Miller, the season one finale set up Tommy to take over his late boss’ oil company alongside Monty’s wife, Cami, played by Demi Moore.
    Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Not dabblers in the slave trade, tycoons of the slave trade.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The military, led by an officer known only as the Major (Mark Hamill, the right amount of hammy), remains in control and supervises the Walk.
    Alison Willmore, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
  • The complainant also said parents needed to supervise and teach their children how to use equipment safely.
    Gillian Stawiszynski, The Enquirer, 31 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The versatile Ferdi Kadioglu is only just back in contention after a toe injury which required surgery and ruled the Turkey international out from November onwards last season.
    Andy Naylor, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a Democrat, has ruled himself out of the running for a potential 2028 presidential bid.
    Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Lara Raj, Megan, Manon, Sophia, Daniela and Yoonchae of KATSEYE commanded the red carpet in coordinated looks that let each members' personality shine through.
    Jackie Fields, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Fergus McCaffrey Jacobs’ works are simultaneously serene and visceral, commanding close inspection of the textures and marks that emerge from her painstaking technique.
    Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • As the skipper in New York from 1984-1990, Johnson led the Mets to an iconic seven-game series win against the Boston Red Sox in the 1986 World Series, after the team won a staggering 108 games in the regular season.
    Thomas Schlachter, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Everything used to be built around England getting over the line, and the skipper was happy to exile any player who might burst the bubble.
    Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Captain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captain. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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