COMMANDERS Synonyms: 19 Similar and Opposite Words

commanders

noun

plural of commander

as in commandants

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

Relevance

as in captains

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 commanders On Monday, Biya reshuffled the top military leadership, replacing commanders of four of the country’s five joint military regions and promoting several senior officers to higher ranks. — ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 To ensure compliance, three imperial princes were tasked with personally notifying senior Japanese military commanders of the surrender. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026 Seeing no evil are legions of crooked operators — customs inspectors, tax agents, military commanders, among other enablers. — Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026 For commanders at Fort Hood, the recruiting rebound is about more than reaching a numerical goal. — Brooke Taylor, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026 Whenever negotiations resume, Iran's opaque power structure — spanning the Supreme Leader, the Revolutionary Guards, civilian government, commanders and other groups — will shape not only what is agreed, but whether any deal can be enforced. — Emma Graham, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2026 In training centers throughout the United States and Europe, commanders are taking the lessons of fast-moving drone technology used in the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, fundamentally transforming how American forces fight. — Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 31 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 Under these conditions, Russian commanders have strong incentives to continue experimenting with new assault tactics, with the hope of breaking this stalemate. — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for commanders

Noun

Nearby, the Maritime Museum, housed in the 18th-century Grgurina Palace, tells the story of the captains and sailors who carried Kotor’s influence far beyond the bay, but save it for another visit if the afternoon is slipping away.

— Jonathan Wiggin, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Aug. 2026
The extended player-exclusive talks followed a meeting that included CEO Scott O’Neil, the LIV Golf executive suite and the league’s team captains.

— Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of captains

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

Definition of skippers

Noun

Enterprises are pushing agents out of pilots and into production.

— Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Utah helicopter deaths In Utah, two helicopter pilots were killed when their aircraft crashed while fighting a wildfire Friday morning in the Fishlake National Forest.

— Jamie Stengle, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026