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
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Recent Examples of commander
The ranks of graduates from those campuses includes a host of current and retired commanders.
—
Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
McCasland, 68, retired as the commander of a research division at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio.
—Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Mar. 2026
If the commander decides the request is not reasonable, the officer must release the person and clear the scene.
—Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
The question of which side can outlast the other is a sobering one, said Eyal Pinko, a former naval commander who does research at Bar Ilan University outside Tel Aviv.
—Gerry Doyle, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commander
Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
McCasland, 68, retired as the commander of a research division at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio.
—Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Mar. 2026
If the commander decides the request is not reasonable, the officer must release the person and clear the scene.
—Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
The question of which side can outlast the other is a sobering one, said Eyal Pinko, a former naval commander who does research at Bar Ilan University outside Tel Aviv.
—Gerry Doyle, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commander
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commander
Noun
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With a German commandant enraged, Edmonds stood his ground and invoked prisoners' rights under international law.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
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The controversial wording was later removed after two Democratic lawmakers put a hold on Lunday’s nomination for commandant until the manual was changed.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Pike believed the captain was from Engine 69, which would have been McIndoe.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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On Baywatch, the wild child Hobie Buchannon (Amell) from the original series is now a Baywatch captain, following in the footsteps of his legendary father Mitch (played by David Hasselhoff in the OG series).—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Thom Sweeney virgin wool long-sleeve skipper polo shirt, $775.—
Naomi Rougeau,
Robb Report,
8 Mar. 2026
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Baylor skipper Mitch Thompson, who has coached in the state of Texas since 1998, called it the best Texas pitching staff he’s ever seen.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commander. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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