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
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
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Recent Examples of commanding
Bobby Narang, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
Few materials feel so commanding and permanent as concrete.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 29 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
Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 19 May 2026
Among early-stage deals, Carta's 2025 State of Startups report flagged leaner team structures as a defining characteristic of AI-native companies commanding premium valuations.
—Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Adjective
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
Few materials feel so commanding and permanent as concrete.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 29 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
That performance helped Feehan take a commanding 4-0 lead into the seventh, which is when the game nearly went awry for the Shamrocks.
—Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 19 May 2026
Among early-stage deals, Carta's 2025 State of Startups report flagged leaner team structures as a defining characteristic of AI-native companies commanding premium valuations.
—Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commanding
Adjective
-
The Golden Knights, obviously, are the most prominent example of this mode of team construction.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
-
Tom Thorstad’s grave in the Chesterton Cemetery lies in a prominent place, next to where the American Legion Post 170 holds its annual Memorial Day program.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
Baylin also recently penned the Lance Armstrong spec that sold to Apple this past spring with Ed Berger directing and Austin Butler attached to star as the famed cyclist.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
28 May 2026
-
Stuart Meltzer, artistic director of Zoetic Stage and here guest directing at GableStage, keeps the action moving briskly while still allowing the play’s more powerful moments room to breathe.—
Mary Damiano,
Miami Herald,
27 May 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
-
But for many New Yorkers, the convenience of ordering online couldn’t meet the immediate demand of sporting Knicks gear around the city the morning after the team’s most consequential victory in a generation.—
Sara Germano,
Sportico.com,
27 May 2026
-
The move backfired on Nexstar as a federal judge in Northern California issued a preliminary injunction, ordering Nexstar to halt the Tegna consolidation.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
In mid-March, IDOA sent a letter to Hawthorne demanding bank statements, canceled checks and credit card statements.—
Jeremy Gorner,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2026
-
Strategic planning, team management, vendor relationships and technical debt were all happening in parallel, all demanding daily presence.—
Lior Weinstein,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Yields spiked to multi-decade highs in recent weeks after a set of disastrous nationwide local election results for the governing Labour Party put Prime Minister Keir Starmer's premiership under pressure.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
26 May 2026
-
His comments were echoed by Yair Golan, the leader of Israel’s left parliamentary bloc, which would likely be a member of any non-Netanyahu governing coalition after the election.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
25 May 2026
Verb
-
Why beef culture and agriculture matter in Texas Some of Talarico's critics seemed to be ripping on his manhood, referencing his support for the LGBTQ+ community, along with the purportedly unmanly notion of having, at one time, eschewed meat.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
-
Over the last few years, Keira has lost her ability to speak, has started having seizures, and struggles more and more with walking.—
Elise Esposito,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
New York buried 19 of 43 3-pointers while dominating the rebounding battle.—
Alejandro Avila,
FOXNews.com,
26 May 2026
-
In January, the Coordination Framework, a coalition of Shia parties dominating the parliament, nominated Nuri al-Maliki, a politician deemed too close to Iran, to take office as prime minister.—
Nabil Salih,
Time,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanding. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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