commander

noun

kə-ˈman-dər How to pronounce commander (audio)
Definition of commandernext
1
as in commandant
one in official command especially of a military force or base a surrender of the fort by the commander without a single shot having been fired

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in captain
a person in overall command of a ship the intrepid commander of the HMS Surprise

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 commander The Justice Department⁠ on Wednesday said a federal grand jury indicted two commanders of a powerful Mexican drug cartel, accusing the brothers of trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States and committing firearms offenses. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 26 Aug. 2026 Starlink has become deeply embedded in Ukraine’s military operations, with commanders and soldiers relying on satellite connectivity to communicate and coordinate operations. — ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026 At the same time, the Joint Staff echoed the commanders’ sentiment. — Megan Rose, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2026 Carey Lewis, the Coast Guard incident commander, said in the release. — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for commander
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commander
  1. commandant
  2. captain
  3. skipper
Noun
  • Bou Meng, along with two other survivors, artist Vann Nath and mechanic Chum Mey, testified in 2009 at the trial of Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, who had been the S-21 commandant.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Trump fired the woman commandant of the Coast Guard, the Black combat-veteran Air Force general who was the chair of the Joint Chiefs, and the first woman to be the chief of naval operations.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 17 June 2026
Definition of commandant
Noun
  • Sunday’s tragedy comes just days after a Florida Keys charter fishing boat captain was hospitalized after being hit by a lightning bolt on Florida Bay.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Reed especially faces little resistance until the big showdown against the captain, during which that denim jacket finally gets a stain.
    — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of captain
Noun
  • But maybe that low point and the unexpected departure of Stokes and the return of Joe Root as Test captain ahead of the white-ball skipper has proved a turning point for one of the most gifted but infuriating batters of his generation.
    — Paul Newman, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Replay showed the skipper taking mild exception to a low, first-pitch strike call on García with two out, but Carapazza, following a handful of ABS challenges earlier in the game, gave Boone a quick hook nonetheless.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of skipper

Phrases Containing commander

Browse Nearby Words

commandeers
commander
commander in chief
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Cite this Entry

“Commander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commander. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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