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 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
  • War came in the summer of 1914 because of the all-encompassing fear that had gripped many Great Power leaders, looking for signs that they would be attacked.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 May 2026
  • Party leaders had denounced Galindo for comments that brought new attention to the race in Texas’s 35th Congressional District.
    Praveena Somasundaram, Washington Post, 27 May 2026
Noun
  • Tobacco tycoon Lewis Ginter opened the Richmond landmark in 1895 to honor his hero, Thomas Jefferson.
    Jennifer Kester, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
  • The film lures us into a mystery that’s a knowing gloss on all those old detective movies, as Joe is hired by Sharon Cobbs (Vicky Krieps), a platinum-blonde femme fatale whose older tycoon husband was just murdered.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 May 2026
Verb
  • The defendant, 36, who has not been publicly identified, is accused of assaulting children while supervising them in bathrooms, during lunch breaks and in after-school care between August 2024 and April 2025.
    ABC News, ABC News, 26 May 2026
  • Leadership therefore shifts from supervising human effort to governing system behavior, including how decisions are made and how outcomes are evaluated.
    Michael Edmondson, Forbes.com, 26 May 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
  • Each new book of his commanded the crowds.
    Ian Mackenzie, Literary Hub, 27 May 2026
  • Rockies starter Tanner Gordon commanded his slider, throwing the pitch for strikes 74% of the time.
    Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 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

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Cite this Entry

“Captain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captain. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.

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