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
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
as in directing
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commanding
Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 18 July 2025
Minnesota took the last meeting between these teams by a commanding 88-65 margin, combining smothering defense with balanced scoring.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025
As Van Helsing, Titus Welliver gives a commanding, dead-eyed and stern performance while Brady Hepner as older son Max curries our sympathies for having to endure the tyranny of an obsessed father.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 10 July 2025
The Sox scored four in the fourth to take a commanding 9-0 lead.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Verb
Harman posted an identical second round en route to a commanding six shot victory at Royal Liverpool two years ago, when his love of hunting became a staple topic of press conferences and a source of controversy for some British tabloids.
—Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 18 July 2025
Minnesota took the last meeting between these teams by a commanding 88-65 margin, combining smothering defense with balanced scoring.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025
As Van Helsing, Titus Welliver gives a commanding, dead-eyed and stern performance while Brady Hepner as older son Max curries our sympathies for having to endure the tyranny of an obsessed father.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 10 July 2025
The Sox scored four in the fourth to take a commanding 9-0 lead.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commanding
Adjective
-
On Roku’s second-quarter earnings call last week, Wood was asked about leveraging Roku’s prominent position in streaming to drive subscription revenue.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Keenan – who is best known for fronting acts such as Tool and Puscifer – has been noted for years as one of the more prominent artists to discourage the usage of phones during live performances.—
Tyler Jenke,
Billboard,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The next year, Martin was accused of instructing staffers to regularly delete their emails to prevent them from becoming available to the media or public under the state’s Sunshine Law.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2025
-
Whitfield doubles down on his previous orders, instructing the former sheepherder to murder all the Duttons and dump their bodies in the lawless border town.—
Matt Cabral,
EW.com,
30 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Everest's unpredictable weather and difficult breathing conditions make this one of the most physically and mentally demanding climbs in the world.—
Samantha Stutsman,
People.com,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Israel is demanding the release of all the remaining hostages, living and dead, with stages of a ceasefire in between releases, according to the ministry.—
Nadine El-Bawab,
ABC News,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The death, in a hospital, was announced by the International Chess Federation, the game’s governing body.—
Dylan Loeb McClain,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2025
-
The cooperative’s governing documents guide the board’s decisions, outlining specific responsibilities and limitations.—
Gary Singer,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
After having Dirk Nowitzki, a foreign superstar who stuck with the team for his entire career, the team was looking forward to another player following suit.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Not for this year’s draft, unfortunately, but having 2026 and 2027 picks from an aging Lightning squad isn’t a bad bet at all.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Vancouver, meanwhile, fell short against the New York Rangers, despite thoroughly dominating play and out-chancing the struggling Rangers by a brutally lopsided margin.—
Thomas Drance,
The Athletic,
24 Mar. 2025
-
Outside cash is dominating the special election for a new county supervisor in the South Bay.—
Andrew Keatts,
Axios,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
She was carried off by multiple people with the Trojans leading 13-2.—
Beth Harris,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Mar. 2025
-
They’ve also been accused of taunting Alex for two days in a row, leading him to cover his ears and rock back and forth in anxiety.—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The plaintiffs are asking the court to block the administration’s order, which puts Haitians at risk of being returned to a country overrun by deadly gangs.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
15 Mar. 2025
-
The Purple One was not pleased when his band started asking questions.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
15 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Commanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanding. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.
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