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
The chefs consulted the team captains to understand their needs. Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 29 June 2026 Celebrini was one of five alternate captains the Sharks had this past season, joining defensemen Mario Ferraro and forwards Barclay Goodrow, Tyler Toffoli and Alexander Wennberg. Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 27 June 2026 Messi currently plays forward and captains both Inter Miami CF (which is co-owned by former English football star David Beckham) and the Argentina national team. Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026 Matthew Tkachuk and Seth Jones were alternate captains at their previous stops, the Calgary Flames and Chicago Blackhawks, respectively, with Matthew Tkachuk continuing to hold that title with Florida. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026 In just three months, 1,800 homes have joined the project, which is managed by more than 220 block captains in neighborhoods throughout DC. Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 19 June 2026 Some ship captains may take their time to determine if the passage is safe. Michelle Chapman, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026 Average annual compensation for service members, including allowances for housing and other expenses, began at $57,604 in 2025 and topped $228,000 for colonels and captains, according to the agency. Tom Huddleston Jr. megan Sauer, CNBC, 15 June 2026 Poulin captains and is the leading scorer for the Montréal Victoire of the Professional Women’s Hockey League; she was named Playoff MVP after the team won its first championship in May. Avery Stone, Time, 9 June 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
  • For naval commanders operating there, information can be as valuable as firepower.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 22 June 2026
  • Thousand-dollar drones are eliminating systems worth millions, forcing Russian commanders to expend valuable resources defending against low-cost threats.
    Hunter LaCroix, Baltimore Sun, 20 June 2026
Noun
  • London — Democratic leaders must answer to voters, lawmakers and other world leaders.
    Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 25 June 2026
  • Just over a year ago, a federal judge dismissed a possible federal consent decree with the department, leading to now-former police chief Brian O'Hara, Mayor Jacob Frey and leaders from the state human rights department to double down on a joint commitment to the local decree.
    Riley Moser, CBS News, 25 June 2026
Noun
  • Alongside the police raids, the downfall of these tycoons put pressure on scam companies, which have relocated from Cambodia in recent months, researchers and former scam workers said.
    Shibani Mahtani, NPR, 21 June 2026
  • Greek shipping tycoons, Morley said, may be intrigued by the glory of owning Onassis’s yacht; Middle Eastern oil magnates could have the means to buy a pricey piece of history.
    Michael Ballaban, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
Verb
  • Milshtein previously served as adviser to COGAT, which supervises civilian policy in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip.
    Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 19 May 2026
  • As chief of patrol, Hein supervises the most visible aspects of the Police Department that define its image in the minds of most Chicagoans, including emergency response, crisis intervention, traffic control, routine patrol and community policing efforts.
    Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • He was called to the stewards and slapped with a one-race ban that rules him out of Sunday's Grand Prix.
    Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 June 2026
  • Best player available rules the day.
    Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
Verb
  • Known to get into the minutiae of coding himself, Andreou actively participates in building tools, with a vibrant personality that commands the room.
    Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 27 June 2026
  • If forced to pick sides, a lot of people will choose Apple, which commands extraordinary consumer loyalty.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • Ludwig says many breakfast skippers end up overeating at night.
    Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 13 May 2026
  • In terms of skippers, our Frank Selee might rightly be considered more philosopher than a pugilist.
    Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 6 May 2026
Noun
  • Soaring through skies, dodging obstacles, and shooting tiny robots and giant bosses felt great in the original release, so none of that needed significant changes.
    Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 27 June 2026
  • Don’t get sucked into arguments with bosses or supervisors.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 26 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Captains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captains. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

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