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
Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 13 May 2026
Senior midfielder Meghan O’Donnell, who scored her eighth goal of the season during Libertyville’s 3-2 win over Waubonsie Valley on Thursday, said Chung is a commanding presence.
—Bobby Narang, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 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
Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 27 May 2026
Artificial intelligence accounted for nearly two-thirds of total venture deal value, with a concentrated group of private companies commanding valuations that are reshaping pricing benchmarks across every stage of the market.
—Truebridge Capital, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Adjective
Xi’s expected to be a commanding presence as host, opposite a US president known more for relying on gut instinct than meticulous preparation.
—Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 13 May 2026
Senior midfielder Meghan O’Donnell, who scored her eighth goal of the season during Libertyville’s 3-2 win over Waubonsie Valley on Thursday, said Chung is a commanding presence.
—Bobby Narang, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 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
Now in its 29th year, the ranking highlights the leaders commanding boardrooms, markets, and industries.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 27 May 2026
Artificial intelligence accounted for nearly two-thirds of total venture deal value, with a concentrated group of private companies commanding valuations that are reshaping pricing benchmarks across every stage of the market.
—Truebridge Capital, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commanding
Adjective
-
Now part of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, this is one of the city’s most prominent addresses for creative types and travelers who know where to find the best service.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
The original sign for Joe Marty’s, named for a prominent local baseball player once thought to be a better prospect than Joe DiMaggio, wasn’t part of the listing.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Beyond lead acting contenders Rhea Seehorn, Carlos-Manuel Vesga and Karolina Wydra, the series will need a lift from the guest acting, directing, writing and artisan branches to get there.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
1 June 2026
-
Roberson notes that claims of ghost-directing is not a new phenomenon.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Both Blue Origin and Space Force officials are instructing the public to report any debris that may wash up on nearby shores.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
29 May 2026
-
Teachers took on a hybrid role, instructing in their classrooms while also accommodating the online learners.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Worth ordering something to eat, too?—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
-
The survey also found majority support in all parties for government interventions including testing additives for safety before they can be included in food products, banning artificial dyes, requiring warning labels, and ordering companies to reduce the amount of sugar and salt in their foods.—
Sarah Todd,
STAT,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
The case collides with President Javier Milei’s culture war, as his government dismantles gender-equality programs and questions femicide laws, while rights groups and families flood the streets demanding protection and justice.—
Isabel Debre,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
-
This move was applauded by many in eating-disorder care, especially as increasingly demanding physical tasks can be supported by technology.—
Paula Chesley,
STAT,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Senegal beat Morocco to win its second continental title earlier this year, but was subsequently deemed to have forfeited the game by African football’s governing body because much of the squad had left the field after a contentious penalty call late in the game.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
1 June 2026
-
City officials have not shared publicly the circumstances surrounding his resignation, and the agreement governing his departure has remained secret.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
But during the commonwealth’s rebuttal case, his then-acting supervisor denied having plans to meet with Banfield that day and said his other managers were out of town.—
Nicki Brown,
CNN Money,
5 June 2026
-
One thing, too, that Sara and I talked about early on was having the crew and the musicians eat lunch together every day.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
This very season was the latest example of that, when the Avs were the regular-season team to beat, and looked even more threatening after dominating another Central Division contender in the Minnesota Wild.—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
-
Kim Le says richer brunette shades and ultra-dark jet black tones are making a comeback, inspired by pop culture references like Maddy Perez from Euphoria, Megan Fox's glossy 2000s-era hair, and the hyper-polished brunette looks dominating Pinterest.—
Kate Donnelly,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanding. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
