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
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
Jon Haworth, ABC News, 25 Sep. 2025
Further up, the upper city walls give commanding views of the forest below and offer a good vantage point over anyone trying to sneak up for an invasion.
—Barry Neild, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2025
Martin Henderson, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
For cruising around town while keeping tabs on the surrounding potholes, traffic and pedestrians, however, many cyclists prefer the more commanding, upright, back-friendly stance offered by a flat handlebar.
—New Atlas, 9 Sep. 2025
Nate Atkins, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Throughout his career -- from commanding helicopter squadrons to leading Carrier Strike Group One and standing up the International Maritime Security Construct -- Admiral Holsey has demonstrated unwavering commitment to mission, people, and nation.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Adjective
Colin McKee, commanding officer Diligence.
—Jon Haworth, ABC News, 25 Sep. 2025
Further up, the upper city walls give commanding views of the forest below and offer a good vantage point over anyone trying to sneak up for an invasion.
—Barry Neild, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
Irvine ran the ball, passed the ball and slowed down Laguna Hills’ uptempo offense with a commanding defensive display.
—Martin Henderson, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
For cruising around town while keeping tabs on the surrounding potholes, traffic and pedestrians, however, many cyclists prefer the more commanding, upright, back-friendly stance offered by a flat handlebar.
—New Atlas, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
When Nacua and Adams are playing and commanding top-10 target rates, the Rams tend to prefer blocking at their other skill positions.
—Nate Atkins, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Throughout his career -- from commanding helicopter squadrons to leading Carrier Strike Group One and standing up the International Maritime Security Construct -- Admiral Holsey has demonstrated unwavering commitment to mission, people, and nation.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commanding
Adjective
-
In the first few months that initiative has closed down two homeless camps, including a prominent one in Fountain Square, and housed 30 people living in them, according to project leaders.—
Jordan Smith,
IndyStar,
15 Oct. 2025
-
The series traces what was going on with the prominent Murdaugh family in the years before Alex was convicted of shooting and killing Maggie and Paul on their family farm in 2021 and found guilty of two counts of possession of a weapon during commission of a violent crime.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
When instructing his students to open their textbooks to page 67, Dannenbring will suddenly adopt the timbre of his enthusiastic seventh graders, who immediately protest their teacher using a phrase that does not belong to him.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Other workers received robo-calls instructing them not to come to work, said Greg Ball, president of the Nor Cal Beverage Employees’ Union and 17-year employee of the plant.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Pratt grew up in the Palisades, hanging out at the beach, hiking the trails, ordering a French dip and matzo ball soup at Mort’s Deli after weekend sports competitions.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Oct. 2025
-
When 4-year-old Luca Silva of Northridge, California, was practicing ordering his own food, his mom, Callie Foster, stood nearby, cheering him on.—
Ronnie Li,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Fort Worth residents packed a city council public comment meeting Tuesday, demanding that Mayor Mattie Parker apologize for comments directed at nonprofit leader and community activist Patrice Jones.—
Amanda McCoy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Oct. 2025
-
The movie is filled with long takes that owe little to theatrical continuity and instead emphasize the action’s inescapable and demanding physicality.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Other places with strict naming laws New Zealand is not alone in having strict rules governing official names.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
-
One challenge in terms of setting up local versions is that the rules governing how brands and advertisers can work with broadcasters differ from one country to the next.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
There is a specific kind of yearning involved in having a crush, one that feels intense, yet is for the most part harmless fun; still, as people grow older the frequency of such infatuations often decreases.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Fans will know instantly that this child grows up to be renowned composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, and Linklater leans into that, having the pre-teenage Sondheim criticize Hart's writing.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
After dominating for a portion of the regular season, the Mets starters suffered a brutal collapse that drove the team’s postseason absence.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Taking a page from the US China holds a near-monopoly on the global supply of rare earths, a group of 17 types of minerals, especially dominating their processing and refinement.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The conversation will celebrate O’Brien’s career as one of the leading minds in contemporary comedy.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
14 Oct. 2025
-
But being effective at your job isn’t the same as being effective at leading people.—
Johnny C. Taylor Jr,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Commanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanding. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share