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
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
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Recent Examples of commanding
Anna Lee C. Iijima, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Nov. 2025
This is not to slight Cynthia Erivo, who is also gifted and a commanding presence.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 21 Nov. 2025
Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Dec. 2025
Equally commanding was Tessa Thompson’s riveting performance in Hedda (directed by Nia DaCosta), which earned her a deserved Golden Globe nomination.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 9 Dec. 2025
Nick Lentz, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026
The vote is widely seen as a test of the 81-year-old Museveni's political strength, and nearly-final results gave him a commanding lead.
—Reuters, NBC news, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Adjective
Pinot Gris Pinot Grigio’s spicier, more commanding sibling.
—Anna Lee C. Iijima, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Nov. 2025
This is not to slight Cynthia Erivo, who is also gifted and a commanding presence.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 21 Nov. 2025
Noun
Aledo did miss several chances to put the game away after taking a commanding a 42-21 lead in the second half.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Dec. 2025
Equally commanding was Tessa Thompson’s riveting performance in Hedda (directed by Nia DaCosta), which earned her a deserved Golden Globe nomination.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 9 Dec. 2025
Verb
The officer then opened her driver's door and turned her vehicle off before commanding her to exit.
—Nick Lentz, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026
The vote is widely seen as a test of the 81-year-old Museveni's political strength, and nearly-final results gave him a commanding lead.
—Reuters, NBC news, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commanding
Adjective
-
Healthcare Failures That Put Lives at Risk Healthcare has emerged as an increasingly prominent concern in recent reports.—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Medical imaging, including radiology — X-rays, mammograms, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound — is a prominent area for AI diagnostic tools.—
Peter Shen,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Beyond those and best picture, Sinners also earned nods for directing, original screenplay, casting, cinematography, costume design, production design, sound, makeup and hairstyling, song, score, and editing.—
Rebecca Ford,
Vanity Fair,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Early announcements included the supporting acting races, screenplay, costume design, and several technical fields, followed minutes later by the major categories, including lead acting, directing, and best picture.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Hendrick shared a story about legendary crew chief Ray Evernham instructing his pit crew to run wind sprints to get in shape — something that wasn’t common practice in the 1980s.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Jan. 2026
-
It is addressed to Claude and used at different stages in the model’s training to shape its character, instructing it to be safe, ethical, compliant with Anthropic’s guidelines, and helpful to the user—in that order.—
Nikita Ostrovsky,
Time,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Dutch court ruled government discriminated against Bonaire’s 20,000 residents by failing to protect them from climate change, ordering binding emissions targets within 18 months.—
Mike Corder,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Pros recommend ordering materials and booking installation early in the year to lock in lower prices.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Organizations actively seeking boundary-setting high performers will succeed and flourish in a demanding enviornment.—
Kate Wieczorek,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Stability that enables demanding experiments Beyond raw strength, stability, and reliability, the value of an all-superconducting user magnet lies in its ability to deliver high performance.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Basel Convention, a global treaty governing hazardous waste movement across borders, shapes how e-waste is recycled worldwide.—
Kristen Edgreen Kaufman,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation — the sport’s governing body — investigated that race and said no rules were broken.—
Tim Reynolds,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Minnesota Timberwolves are not having a good week.—
Bryan Toporek,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Executive Director of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance Paul Craney wasn’t having it, saying high utility bills in Massachusetts are the fault of Healey’s policies and the state’s NetZero by 2050 climate mandate, which favors solar, wind and battery power over natural gas.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Jones has no worries about Hollywood pictures dominating the top categories.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
27 Jan. 2026
-
These nominees represent the different lanes of modern music marketing, each artist finding their lane and dominating it.—
Olivia Shalhoup,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanding. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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