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
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
-
With the House vote on Monday, Duterte, who comes from one of the country’s most prominent political dynasties, became the first official in the Southeast Asian country’s history to be impeached twice.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
11 May 2026
-
In a hall occasionally pierced by air-raid sirens warning of Russian strikes, the event has united Ukraine’s most prominent galleries, artists, collectors, and cultural institutions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 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
-
Rebecca Cliffe of the Sloth Conservation Foundation and Sam Trull of the Sloth Institute, organizations based in Costa Rica, arrived in Central Florida last week to speak with state and local authorities and zoo officials about the matter, culminating in FWC ordering the temporary suspension.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 May 2026
-
In September 1960, Fidel Castro’s government published a decree ordering the confiscation of all of it without compensation.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Without oxygen, a variety of processes shut down — especially in metabolically demanding tissues such as the brain.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
13 May 2026
-
The union is reportedly demanding that Samsung allocate 15% of its operating profit to workers as performance bonuses, scrap caps on bonus payouts, and formalize the bonus structure.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
But that logic effectively reduces state legislatures to instruments of national party strategy, rather than independent governing bodies accountable first to their own voters.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
-
The hypothetical doctor would be a governing body for the sport.—
Sam Cohn,
Baltimore Sun,
11 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
-
Getty Images Hello, this is Katie Foley writing to you from London, where Downing Street is dominating the agenda.—
Katie Foley,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
-
Waters isn’t dominating only on the court.—
Greg Rosenstein,
NBC news,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanding. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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