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

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

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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 As Cifaldi and his companions started hiking out, the pole awkwardly sticking out of his side, Stillwater County Search and Rescue team commander Ty Williams monitored the group's progress via a dispatcher who took calls from the group. CBS News, 30 July 2026 Ukrainian drone commanders are honing their targeting of Russian refineries and leaving swaths of Crimea with no fuel or power, while Russia ramps up attacks on Ukraine’s gas stations. Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 30 July 2026 Instead, in this assault, many of the tanks carried only a small canopy over the commander's hatch with a thin steel plate, likely intended to provide standoff protection against munitions dropped by heavy bomber drones. Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 Ukraine touts strikes on more than 200 Russian vessels and other targets as a new commander expands long-range operations, while Russian glide bombs pound Kharkiv and prospects for peace remain distant. Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for commander
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commander
Noun
  • 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
  • The State Police will also hire a civilian director to work alongside the academy’s commandant, and institute baseline physical and psychological screenings for recruits before the academy begins.
    Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026
Noun
  • The umpire rejected West Indies' appeal but captain Roston Chase referred the decision to the television umpire, who ruled the ball was turning enough to hit leg stump.
    ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Or he was coached hard and pushed hard by the team’s captain and coach.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Former Boston Red Sox closer Keith Foulke is the manager of the Hunters, and former big-league infielder Eric Young is the skipper for the Queens.
    Jay Cohen, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Lewis Dunk, Brighton’s long-serving skipper and fellow centre-back, is still a big influence at the age of 34, but Struijk’s leadership skills will be a useful antidote to Jan Paul van Hecke’s June transfer to Tottenham for £52million.
    Andy Naylor, New York Times, 30 July 2026

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“Commander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commander. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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