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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Recent Examples of commanding
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
15 June 2026
As the Knicks take a commanding 3-1 series lead into Game 5 on Saturday night, here are three big-picture takeaways from the matchup, some of which could contain lessons for the Nuggets to heed.
—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
12 June 2026
Hunter Patterson,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Cole, a contractor who specializes in building restaurants, is the Lexington Minute Men's captain commanding.
—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
Adela Suliman,
NBC news,
23 June 2026
My aunts are commanding, and each in her own way can be intimidating.
—
Eythana Miller,
The Dial,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Adjective
Moments after the Knicks completed the largest comeback in NBA Finals history in Game 4 — erasing a 29-point deficit to take a commanding 3-1 series lead over the San Antonio Spurs — Stiller burst through the postgame interview room doors like the Kool-Aid Man.
—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
15 June 2026
As the Knicks take a commanding 3-1 series lead into Game 5 on Saturday night, here are three big-picture takeaways from the matchup, some of which could contain lessons for the Nuggets to heed.
—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
12 June 2026
Noun
Mitchell torched the Pistons’ hopes for a commanding series lead while tying a postseason record with 39 second-half points.
—
Hunter Patterson,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Cole, a contractor who specializes in building restaurants, is the Lexington Minute Men's captain commanding.
—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
Verb
The note was dictated and signed by Washington and given to Charles Cornwallis, Britain’s lieutenant general commanding the southern campaign, in Yorktown, Virginia, following the British request to end hostilities to agree to the terms of its surrender.
—
Adela Suliman,
NBC news,
23 June 2026
My aunts are commanding, and each in her own way can be intimidating.
—
Eythana Miller,
The Dial,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commanding
Adjective
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Jim Campbell, chief legal counsel for ADF, pointed to Cross’s alleged experience as one of the human costs behind the legal fight.
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Haley enlisted in the Coast Guard at 17 and retired as its chief journalist in 1959.
Adjective
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One prominent Cherokee named Katteuha co-wrote a letter to Benjamin Franklin during the Constitutional Convention in 1787, urging him to push for peace between the Native people and settlers.
-
The effect of protostar outflows on their environment can be seen in the JWST image via the prominent blue ridges.
Noun
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Perhaps the directing was the biggest problem with that film, but the writing certainly didn’t save it, nor help elevate Milly Alcock’s performance.
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Dogwoof and Strange Bird are joining forces with Kennedy/Marshall, Whisper, and Haviland Digital on the feature, with Barney Douglas (McEnroe) directing.
Verb
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Scam warning signs A caller instructing a person not to tell their friends or family about a problem is a big warning sign that the caller has malicious intent, scam experts say.
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These makers are much more reticent about the risks of blurring the once fine line between browsing sites and asking a large language model a question or instructing it to take potentially sensitive actions.
Verb
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Get $25 off catering orders of $250 or more from July 3–5 with code CATER250 when ordering in-app or online.
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The suspect, identified only as Innocent S under German privacy rules, is accused of ordering the deaths of 25 Tutsis on five separate occasions while serving as an assistant to the mayor of Kayove in northwestern Rwanda.
Verb
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In that way, a commitment to physical fitness and its various metrics offers leaders greater tolerance for the demanding responsibilities of the role.
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Does that mean Rob Manfred is specifically demanding that drag be reduced?
Verb
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Still, with some four months until the election, polling shows Eisenkot is far from securing a decisive victory or having an easy path to a governing coalition.
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Rather, verifying, governing and trusting the code that AI produces is the true challenge.
Verb
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Swift and Kelce opted against having traditional bridesmaids and groomsmen.
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The news came a day before Liz reported on Hong Kong’s beleaguered cinema market finally having an upturn, with overall box office revenues increasing by 25% thanks to a strong line-up of local and Hollywood releases.
Cite this Entry
“Commanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanding. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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