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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in dominating
to look down on
for centuries an imposing castle has commanded that stretch of the river
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in asking
to set or receive as a price
commands a high fee for his decorating services
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 commanding
Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2026
Starlink has 10,000 satellites, a commanding lead over Amazon’s 200-strong Leo constellation; Globalstar has a further 25, but the real prize is control over part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
Shea’s commanding lead was not at all unexpected.
—Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026
ABC News, 7 May 2026
Crowds have been flocking to see the show, with the play commanding the highest average ticket price in the industry for the past several weeks.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Adjective
Peck joined the Blue Angels after serving as the commanding officer for the Fighting Checkmates of VFA-211.
—Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2026
Starlink has 10,000 satellites, a commanding lead over Amazon’s 200-strong Leo constellation; Globalstar has a further 25, but the real prize is control over part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
With his unmistakable voice and commanding presence, Dance has left his mark on everything from and Alien 3 (1992) and Michael Collins (1996) to Game of Thrones (2011–2015) and The Crown (2019–2020).
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
Shea’s commanding lead was not at all unexpected.
—Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
Most of the eight new slots are expected to go to teams in the power conferences that were already commanding the lion's share of entries in thebracket.
—ABC News, 7 May 2026
Crowds have been flocking to see the show, with the play commanding the highest average ticket price in the industry for the past several weeks.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commanding
Adjective
-
The couple, who married last year in Italy, have become increasingly prominent in fashion circles, a particular passion of Sánchez Bezos, 56, who also serves as vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, another passion.—
Adam Carlson,
PEOPLE,
4 May 2026
-
The school has become the continent’s most prominent professional dance training institution in recent years.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
The location and directing was also great.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
6 May 2026
-
Presented by The American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, the Tony Awards are considered the most prestigious honors in theater, recognizing excellence across acting, directing, design and more.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
But this year, candidates received a yellow notice instructing them to only file their disclosures online with the state, and not with any other entity, leading seven candidates, including the four now running independently, to incorrectly file their financial documents.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
7 May 2026
-
According to a live feed from The New York Times, within minutes of the third day starting, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers had to reproach Musk, instructing him to stop being sarcastic and evasive.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Unlike dining out or ordering takeout, the etiquette around tipping for flower delivery isn’t always clear-cut.—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 May 2026
-
The company's owner offered help, ordering staff to ship replacements from ES Windows' manufacturing complex in Barranquilla, Colombia.—
Larry Seward,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
It is said, in these parts, that the ever meticulous De Zerbi was every bit as demanding on the ground staff as his players.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
-
The current state of the case entails Russ demanding a court declaration that his use of Denaro Puro doesn’t infringe Nike, that Nike’s trade dress claims are invalid, and that Nike’s rights in Pure Money are unenforceable with respect to Denaro Puro.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Yet public concerns remain that there aren’t enough regulations governing when or how AI should be used, and that the technology would replace jobs and leave too many Californians unemployed.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
-
Transcribed interviews have no regulations governing them.—
Rebecca Beitsch,
The Hill,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Turner lore suggested the college student was expelled from the Ivy League school for having a female student in his dormitory room.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
-
Jaxon’s father, Albert Juarez, acknowledged having serious health problems himself and a list of prescription painkillers.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
If consumers are in the market for an affordable electric car, similar to the vehicles dominating Chinese vehicle sales, the Bolt may check all the boxes.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
That ambiguity has encouraged some investors and companies to believe that the era of geopolitics dominating cross-border economic activity may be receding.—
Dewardric L. McNeal,
CNBC,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanding. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
