COMMANDS Synonyms: 251 Similar and Opposite Words

commands 1 of 2

noun

plural of command

as in instructions

a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned the captain's commands were followed without question

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Relevance

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as in proficiencies

a highly developed skill in or knowledge of something a command of French that is the result of a year spent in France as an exchange student

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as in headquarters

the place from which a commander runs operations the general set up his command in the old port city

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as in seats

a place from which authority is exercised central command

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as in controls

the right or means to command or control others the army officer in command during the attack

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as in views

all that can be seen from a certain point from his mountain perch, the scout had a command of the entire valley

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commands

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of command

as in orders

to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority the general commanded his troops with Caesar-like imperiousness

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as in requests

to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority the governor has commanded that all state flags be flown at half-mast

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as in demands

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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as in rules

to exercise authority or power over a cabinet secretary who commands the largest department in the federal government

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as in has

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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as in dominates

to look down on for centuries an imposing castle has commanded that stretch of the river

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as in leads

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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as in asks

to set or receive as a price commands a high fee for his decorating services

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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 commands

Noun

According to the department’s directive written in 2023, officers should consider voice commands and several alternatives before using lethal force. —

Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026 Please remember that due to language barriers, these individuals may not understand questions or commands from the police. —

Arthur L. Kellermann, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026 The concern here is someone getting access to neural data, device settings or the commands moving between the implant and outside equipment. —

Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026 For data transmission, the system relies on low-Earth-orbit satellite networks to receive incoming commands and broadcast completed AI inference tokens back to terrestrial clients. —

Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 19 June 2026 According to Canine Companions, goldens have a keen insight into human emotional cues, not just commands. —

Pat Mueller, USA Today, 18 June 2026 Mission controllers spent months attempting to restore contact, including sending commands designed to reboot the spacecraft's computers, but MAVEN remained silent. —

Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 17 June 2026 The research team also found troubling racial disparities when officers used language reserved for serious suspicions — like phrasing implying commands or accusations — when the reason for the stop was relatively minor. —

Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 17 June 2026 Built by Lunar Outpost, Pegasus will navigate the harsh, jagged terrain of the lunar south pole autonomously, with an astronaut behind the wheel, or via teleoperation commands beamed from Earth. —

Chris Young june 13, New Atlas, 13 June 2026

Verb

Meanwhile, Lord Corlys Velaryon and his fleet have the city blockaded, while Team Black commands from Dragonstone and Daemon battles in the Riverlands and Aemond broods on the throne, which he’s taken from his maimed brother. —

Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026 Isar Aerospace still commands top position among a new generation of European rocket startups, but the company’s efforts to launch a critical test flight of its Spectrum rocket continue to encounter roadblocks, Ars reports. —

Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 19 June 2026 An orderly transition could limit market disruption if senior Labour figures conclude Starmer no longer commands support. —

Hugh Leask, CNBC, 19 June 2026 For all the money and content streamers are pouring into Southeast Asia, premium video commands a strikingly small slice of the region’s attention — only about 8 percent of the time people spend on their screens. —

Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2026 Kobe’s line of signature sneaker commands an outsized amount of attention, taking 9 of 20 spots in StockX’s list of the top-selling basketball shoes for 2025, and is picked up for casual wear much more than any active NBA player’s. —

Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 17 June 2026 The patriarch’s younger son, Abhay, thirty-nine, and his family live on the top floor in a spacious, breezy apartment that commands a fine view of Dhakuria Lake, which stretches away into the distance, flanking Southern Avenue. —

Literary Hub, 16 June 2026 The endorsement is expected to provide a significant boost to Jones's campaign, which already commands strong support among the GOP base. —

Cbs News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 14 June 2026 Once in position, a smartphone app commands a robotic arm to open the charging port and automatically connect the charging cable. —

Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 13 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for commands

Noun

For large populations, use a product containing spinosad, bifenthrin or Bacillius thurgiensis, according to label instructions.

— Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 22 June 2026
The Court also decided on Monday not to grant a retrial to a man convicted in a notorious decades-old cold case, reversing a decision that determined the jurors who convicted Pedro Hernandez of killing Etan Patz more than 40 years ago received improper instructions.

— Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 22 June 2026