1
as in presiding
highest in rank or authority
with the death of the general, he instantly became the commanding officer on the field of battle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in prominent
likely to attract attention
even in a room filled with world leaders, he was a commanding presence
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in directing
Related Words
1
as in instructing
to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority
the general commanded his troops with Caesar-like imperiousness
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ordering
to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority
the governor has commanded that all state flags be flown at half-mast
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in demanding
to ask for (something) earnestly or with authority
an act of courage that commands the admiration of all who witnessed it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in governing
to exercise authority or power over
a cabinet secretary who commands the largest department in the federal government
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5
as in having
to keep, control, or experience as one's own
local government does not command the resources that are needed to respond to such a huge disaster
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6
as in dominating
to look down on
for centuries an imposing castle has commanded that stretch of the river
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7
as in leading
to serve as leader of
the head of the agency commands an army of workers trained to respond to the immediate needs of disaster victims
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8
as in asking
to set or receive as a price
commands a high fee for his decorating services
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commanding
Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2026
Miles projects as a commanding dynamo who will cause havoc with her ability to play at a high tempo in transition, move the ball quickly in the half-court offense and deliver no-look passes from any angle.
—Matthew Coller, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
Adam Mansuroglu, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2026
Lay users chatting with chatbots are having an entirely different experience compared to people at the frontier commanding fleets.
—Tharin Pillay, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 8 Apr. 2026
In commanding the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission in 2021, the first private spaceflight to reach Earth orbit, Isaacman and his crew brought iPhone 12s on board to capture imagery.
—Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Adjective
Jin is the eldest at 33, sardonically charming, with a rich, pure tenor and a commanding stage presence.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2026
Miles projects as a commanding dynamo who will cause havoc with her ability to play at a high tempo in transition, move the ball quickly in the half-court offense and deliver no-look passes from any angle.
—Matthew Coller, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
Go back long enough and pink was considered entirely appropriate for creating a commanding, masculine look.
—Adam Mansuroglu, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2026
Lay users chatting with chatbots are having an entirely different experience compared to people at the frontier commanding fleets.
—Tharin Pillay, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
But where these artists possess a commanding confidence, Moales often sounds plucky, as if thrust forward to sing with her eyes shut tight at the world’s most eclectic karaoke night.
—Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 8 Apr. 2026
In commanding the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission in 2021, the first private spaceflight to reach Earth orbit, Isaacman and his crew brought iPhone 12s on board to capture imagery.
—Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commanding
Adjective
-
Amid widespread reconsideration of prominent people accused of wrongdoing, some wondered whether Jackson might disappear from playlists.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Kevin Hart, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Spike Lee, Martin Lawrence, Jennifer Hudson, Judge Reinhold, Tracy Morgan and Kenan Thompson were among the prominent entertainers, comedians and actors who stepped out to celebrate Murphy at AFI's event.—
Tommy McArdle,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Little information is available about him on the internet but from speaking to those who have worked with him, the Irishman appears to be a bit of a jack of all trades – performing, directing, running a production company and teaching drama in schools.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
-
This film, curated by some of the best directors in Colombia – his friends responsible for his legacy – is a great example of his vision for action, horror, fun and amazing directing.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Audio of the exchange captures the controller urgently instructing the smaller aircraft, identified as Skylab 25, to stop before directing the UPS jet to go around.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
-
LeVota also retroactively implemented a cap on commercial property values by instructing county staff to manually adjust the 2025 assessments of more than 6,200 spaces.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The 486 defendants are accused of being members of MS-13, or Mara Salvatrucha, and accused of ordering more than 47,000 crimes from 2012 to 2022, according to the Salvadoran government.—
Marcos Aleman,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The pistachio cinnamon roll was rich and worth ordering again, but the croissants were the highlight.—
Tristan Graziano,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The loan, promised to Kyiv months ago, has been long delayed because Hungary’s outgoing Prime Minister Victor Orbán was blocking it, demanding Ukraine restarts the flow of Russian oil into Europe.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Democrats are demanding that Mills also be expelled, arguing similar conduct should have similar outcomes.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The rollbacks included minimum wage requirements for home healthcare workers and people with disabilities, and rules governing exposure to harmful substances and safety procedures at mines.—
Seung Min Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Track and field’s international governing body decided to allow seven Americans — instead of the usual four — to compete at the world championships in Denmark.—
Jennifer McDermott,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For myself, having a Wrangler is the perfect vehicle to just drive these desolate roads.—
Morgan Korn,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Start by having one of these conversations with your partner.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Ella Langley is dominating country music Ella Langley is on top of the world.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Two of the biggest companies dominating the industry are Kalshi and Polymarket.—
Lisa Hagen,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanding. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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