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 former Marine Corps captain was registered in California while stationed in North Carolina and at officer school in Virginia. Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 17 June 2026 Already in the 2026 sports event, the team captain has scored a hat trick against Algeria (Argentina won 3-0), which ties him for the men’s World Cup scoring record. Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 17 June 2026
Verb
Now, the Cup belongs to the Hurricanes, led by coach Rod Brind’Amour, who also captained Carolina to its 2006 title. Mark Anderson, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026 It is captained by Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, who has struggled with form this season but has the experience needed to perform on this stage. Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for captain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captain
Noun
  • The Israel Defense Forces announced the elimination of a senior Hezbollah commander who was accused of orchestrating the 2007 kidnapping and murder of five American soldiers.
    Eric Mack, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2026
  • An allegation last year by a provincial police commander that top officers and officials were colluding with organized criminals led Ramaphosa to announce a national investigation into police corruption.
    Michelle Gumede, Los Angeles Times, 13 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
  • Since that occurred, stadium management has met with the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen and other Town leaders to learn the reasons for the modifications and to work towards an amendment to the stadium lease that would build upon our decades-long partnership.
    Chad Graff, New York Times, 17 June 2026
  • The consumer backlash, which prompted Lululemon to issue an apology and scrub its campaign, is the latest example of how quickly Western brands can come unstuck in a country where nationalism has surged under strongman leader Xi Jinping.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 17 June 2026
Noun
  • The couple traveled to the South of France in search of a holiday home and, in 1938, stayed at the legendary Hôtel Provençal in Juan-les-Pins as guests of its owner, Florence Gould, the socialite wife of American tycoon Frank Jay Gould.
    Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 15 June 2026
  • In France, Pathé, which welcomed shipping tycoon Rodolphe Saadé as its new shareholder with a 20-percent stake in 2024, recently unveiled the luxury Pathé Palace cinema in central Paris.
    Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • While humans still planned and supervised the mission, the operation offered a glimpse into how future battles may unfold.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 16 June 2026
  • After the Los Angeles Film Critics Association anointed Brazil with a trio of awards, including Best Picture, Sheinberg relented and released a 132-minute cut supervised by Gilliam.
    Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • Initially, the referees ruled Freeman had been offside.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 20 June 2026
  • The development came after the judge ruled in May that evidence found during an initial search of Mangione's backpack must be suppressed, including a magazine, cell phone, passport and wallet.
    Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • Brandel must command the pre-snap operation well, especially if Murray becomes the starter.
    Alec Lewis, New York Times, 16 June 2026
  • In 2023, Mirren commanded the Cannes Film Festival with an electric blue hairstyle that was the cherry on top to her dreamy fairytale look.
    Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • The third-year skipper passed Jerry Manuel and moved into ninth place on the franchise's wins list.
    CBS News, CBS News, 18 June 2026
  • The extent to which anybody else is aware of the time-loop is ambiguous; the ship’s skipper is an elderly man with no memory of his name, and at times it’s implied that the town has deliberately trapped these men.
    Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 17 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Captain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captain. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.

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