captains 1 of 2

plural of captain
1
as in commanders
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 commandants
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

captains

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of captain

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 captains
Noun
Atherton’s sprawling estates have long been a magnet for captains of the tech industry and investors. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 30 July 2026 The game also features off-island exploration, where players build ships, appoint captains, and undertake missions to neighboring islands. Barry Collins, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 Visma had men up the road, but their satellite riders were brought in by relentless pacing from Tim Wellens and Nils Politt, UAE’s road captains. Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 July 2026 Following the deaths of several sailors in recent attacks , tanker captains and their insurers are expected to remain far more cautious about transiting the Strait. Justin Zacks, CNBC, 23 July 2026 That means other captains looking to hire Luke will see the incident on his record. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 21 July 2026 The pilots, who help captains guide cargo ships into the port, have conducted various labor actions since last fall. Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 15 July 2026 There was a sizable conference room with at least four light tan leather captains chairs around a square desk, and a large TV on one wall. Bart Jansen, USA Today, 8 July 2026
Verb
Star center back and veteran captain Virgil van Dijk also captains Liverpool, one of the biggest clubs in the world in England. Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026 Hakimi, who captains Morocco and stars for Paris Saint-Germain, is regarded as one of the best right backs in the world. Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 2 June 2026 Camberos, who captains the Mexican side and plays for the national team, played for Angel City and Bay FC in between a first stint with América and her current tenure, while Geyse last played for Gotham. Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 22 May 2026 Rozanov captains the re-named Boston Raiders in the TV adaptation. Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 12 May 2026 Rush lost two of his top players to The Bennett School when Reeder and fellow senior Harper Gates, both now captains for the Rebels’ premiere team, decided to pursue the new opportunity. Jon Poorman, Houston Chronicle, 4 Apr. 2026 Tigertail, 36, who captains airboat tours through the Everglades, is navigating his boat through the only route available given how dry the park has gotten this year. Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2026 Outfielder Jung Hoo Lee captains the South Korean team that finished as runner-up to Team Japan in Pool C from Tokyo. Shayna Rubin, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Mar. 2026 As Olivia Walker in the Netflix thriller, the actress captains the White House's Situation Room with the world on the brink of nuclear war. Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captains
Noun
  • According to L3Harris, the monitoring solution allows submarine commanders to optimize mission planning by delivering accurate information on battery status throughout deployment.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 26 July 2026
  • Some Iran experts said the MOU was simply acknowledging the reality of an Iranian entrenchment so deep that there are believed to be hundreds of Revolutionary Guard commanders in Lebanon.
    Ron Kampeas, The Washington Examiner, 25 July 2026
Noun
  • City leaders say the buildings are safe and that data submitted to Florida regulators were miscategorized.
    David Smiley, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
  • And everywhere there are photographs — of governors and lawmakers, local leaders and beloved relatives.
    Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 30 July 2026
Noun
  • That has created mounting public resistance as tech companies concentrate historic levels of wealth in the hands of a select group of tycoons.
    ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
  • Despite the turmoil set off by the Iran war and border skirmishes with Cambodia, the country’s tycoons are collectively richer and its stock market has surged as Thailand positions itself as a regional data center hub powered by green energy.
    Naazneen Karmali, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Verb
  • The State Board of Education supervises public K–12 education across the state, overseeing educational interests in Kansas.
    Zuri Primos July 26, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
  • David Smith, who supervises the district’s aedes crew, said his team has received an increasing number of service requests for day-biting mosquitoes within the neighborhood.
    Alula Alderson, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026
Verb
  • The proceedings will then go forward in a trial format, with an opportunity to appeal if the commission rules against him.
    Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 29 July 2026
  • As such neither, as per Article 16 of the FIGC’s Sports Agents rules on incompatibility and conflict of interest, would have had to leave their roles in the event Pirlo senior secured the Italy job.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 28 July 2026
Verb
  • This powertrain is only available with AWD, the SX trim level, and the X-Line package, which gives the car some glossy black exterior accents and bigger wheels, and commands a more substantial though still competitive $32,790 MSRP.
    Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 21 July 2026
  • And the view of the northern Rockies commands equal attention with the headliners.
    Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2026
Noun
  • The American League and National League teams will be managed by John Schneider and Dave Roberts, respectively, the skippers of last year’s World Series clubs.
    Johnny Flores Jr, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • Ludwig says many breakfast skippers end up overeating at night.
    Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • Also let go were correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega — and soon after, Scott Pelley, after a tense confrontation with his bosses over the changes.
    Jocelyn Noveck, Fortune, 29 July 2026
  • In fact, 21 of the NHL’s 32 current coaches served as AHL bench bosses before making the jump.
    Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 27 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Captains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captains. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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