commands 1 of 2

plural of command
1
2
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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3
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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4
as in seats
a place from which authority is exercised central command

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5
6
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
1
2
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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3
4
5
6
as in dominates
to look down on for centuries an imposing castle has commanded that stretch of the river

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7
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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8

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
The entire maneuver required five separate commands sent from mission control, telling the spacecraft to roll, pitch, turn and burn its motor. Tariq Malik, Space.com, 4 Sep. 2026 Finally, downstream controllers convert those predictions into hardware commands, such as firing a heating beam. Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026 As Secret Service agents responded, DeFoor ignored all commands to stop and drop the weapon, according to charging documents. Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026 DeFoor ignored verbal commands to stop and drop the hammer and instead began smashing the panels of large historic glass windows at the front of the house. Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 Paying proxynet customers can also gain root by issuing a handful of Linux commands. Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026 After the gunfire stopped, deputies continued issuing commands from behind their patrol vehicles. Daniel Hunt august 29, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026 By July 4 the agents held permanent credentials and could execute commands as the service itself. Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Sarajevans still remember his commands to the Serb gunmen pounding the Bosnian capital in early 1992. Jovana Gec, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
Going any higher in the range, into Z06 and ZR1 territory, commands bravery and many, many more dollars. Jerry Perez, The Drive, 3 Sep. 2026 Nuclear power currently commands more political attention, more corporate investment and more technological hype than at any point in at least three decades. Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026 This coffee table designed by Athena Calderone commands attention with its sculptural block design and almost five-inch-thick travertine top. Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2026 Big Ridley commands armies of extras, builds enormous sets and deploys cutting-edge visual effects to create places that no longer exist — or never did. Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026 Alonso’s appointment marks the arrival of a coach who commands authority. George Edwards, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026 Unlike in the Senate, where Democratic votes can be necessary to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold, Jeffries commands a minority caucus in a chamber where Republicans can pass most legislation with a simple majority. Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026 Adjusted for inflation, each of these men commands vastly greater resources than Rosenwald ever did. Harold Pollack, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026 Everything about Hathaway’s Rebecca Saint John commands your attention in Eileen. Chris Bellamy, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commands
Noun
  • How could lay people, in light of these instructions, come to a unanimous conclusion as to what Clancy was thinking?
    Richard E. Vatz, Baltimore Sun, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The Moon squares structured Saturn, making unclear emails, shifting responsibilities, or poorly explained instructions especially frustrating.
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Flown today to familiarize new astronauts with working in a high-stress, dynamic environment and maintain pilots’ flight proficiencies, Johnson Space Center currently has a fleet of 14 active T-38 jets stationed out of nearby Ellington Airport.
    Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
  • My history suggests very successful proficiencies in this model.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • For households, parental controls allow restricting access to inappropriate and adult content.
    StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Potential support could cover siting, licensing, fabrication, safety-basis development, project controls and deployment planning for NANO Nuclear’s KRONOS MMR Energy System and portable microreactor designs.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Our final stop was Kahlenberg, a hilltop on the city’s northern edge that offers sweeping views over the skyline, the Danube River winding through the city below and vineyards spilling down the surrounding slopes.
    Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The ship’s wellness wing contains an indoor pool with ample lounge seating, massage rooms featuring Biologique Recherche product treatments, hair salon, a sauna with sea views, and a snow room.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • White House orders review of wolf protections The local concerns come as the federal government is reconsidering protections for wolves nationwide.
    Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Sampson orders Springfield, his security man, to find that same chemist Reacher is seeking and thus to find Reacher.
    Chris Klimek, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The motion requests that the hearing be set in November, according to a spokesperson for the Marion County Prosecutor's Office.
    ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Proton Mail, acting as a proxy, requests the image and caches it on its own servers.
    Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The statement caused the Israeli American Council to release a petition that demands that the four-time Grammy winner be removed from the rest of Sheeran’s Loop tour.
    Jack Dunn, Variety, 7 Sep. 2026
  • That could force Saudi Arabia to allow other countries to produce more oil than the world demands.
    David Goldman, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • And rules about how the government may enforce such a law must be very clear, and have to be presented in a precise way to states, agencies or others before they can be accused of any violations.
    Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026
  • To the extent these independent contentions were intended to imply that NBA rules permit teams, at the request of players, to initiate off-court income opportunities for players, that implication is incorrect.
    John Hollinger, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Commands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commands. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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