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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
The captain also highlighted Lagrange’s presence on the mound.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 17 Feb. 2026
Anne M. Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Chris Marlowe, who captained the USA volleyball team to the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics, led the Dolphins to a 21-1 record and the City Section basketball championship in 1969, beating Reseda in the final at Pauley Pavilion.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for captain
Noun
Samra’s 110 off 65 balls, which included six sixes and 11 fours, had earlier guided Canada to 173-4 after captain Dilpreet Bajwa won the toss and elected to bat.
—ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
The captain also highlighted Lagrange’s presence on the mound.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
Rodman returned to the team for its recent January camp and captained a young squad to victory against Paraguay.
—Anne M. Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Chris Marlowe, who captained the USA volleyball team to the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics, led the Dolphins to a 21-1 record and the City Section basketball championship in 1969, beating Reseda in the final at Pauley Pavilion.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for captain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captain
Noun
-
Their lawsuit alleges Quero Silva was the national guard commander who instructed his officers to strip both male and female protestors and then kick and strike them with boots and helmets inside the barracks in Barquisimeto, west of Caracas.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
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Original crew members, NASA astronauts Zena Cardman, who was originally slated to be commander but would have been making her first spaceflight, and Stephanie Wilson, a veteran of three space shuttle flights, were pulled from the mission.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Camp Lejeune’s commandant—a man who commanded both respect and wonder—hosted a reception to introduce us to base and community leadership.—
Jay Sloves,
Hartford Courant,
20 Jan. 2026
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Washington — The Senate confirmed Admiral Kevin Lunday as Coast Guard commandant Thursday night after agency guidance on the display of hate symbols such as swastikas and nooses was clarified.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Dec. 2025
Noun
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After deliberations stretching across three weeks, the Sacramento City Council appointed Tuesday a new leader for a local agency tasked with overseeing public housing.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
18 Feb. 2026
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With Jackson’s death Tuesday, leaders across the region reflected on a legacy that helped shape a generation of local activism and public service — none more so than Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, a close friend for more than five decades.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In Josh Safdie’s feverish ping-pong epic, Marty (Timothée Chalamet) breaks from his benefactor, pen tycoon Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary), risking everything to erase an old defeat.—
Daron James,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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Sleep + Play Of the numerous tycoon-worthy hotels in the region, Layne and De Bonis are particularly enamored with Faloria Mountain SpaResort, located just outside of the town center.—
Elycia Rubin,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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These risks become more serious when your job involves driving, operating machinery, working at heights, administering medication, or supervising others in hazardous settings.—
Sarah Jividen,
Verywell Health,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Animation is supervised by Jakub Pištecký, whose credits include Rango, Pirates of the Caribbean, and The Avengers.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
At a news conference, the president cited the 1974 Trade Act for the 10% tariffs rather than the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which the high court ruled he wasn’t authorized to use.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
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The public would see more information about how judges rule on pretrial matters, sentencing, courtroom efficiency and how often their decisions are reversed on appeal under this House bill.—
Stephen Gruber-Miller,
Des Moines Register,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The pesky utilityman, acquired from the Rays last summer, commanded more playing time at short last September as Volpe struggled and recovered from a cortisone shot.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The versatile guard commands 20-plus minutes per game, which leaves a little extra tick available beyond the top seven members of the rotation.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
However, Great Britain skipper Bruce Mouat, who entered these Games as the man to beat but has not quite found his best form yet, was in no mood to mess around and promptly scored three points with his first use of the hammer in the sixth end.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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According to skipper Charles Caudrelier, these systems could allow Gitana 18 to hover above waves approaching 10 feet with minimal hull contact, while sustaining average speeds of 40 knots.—
Helen Iatrou,
Robb Report,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Captain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captain. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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