commands 1 of 2

Definition of commandsnext
plural of command
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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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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
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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 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 robot can respond to voice commands and is programmed to keep safe distances from people and obstacles. Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026 As part of the search efforts, the Mexican navy alerted naval commands in Isla Mujeres and Yucalpetén, as well as naval search, rescue and surveillance stations. ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026 Though Jones advanced toward the officer and two other officers who responded as backup, refusing to obey numerous commands to drop the blade, police were able to form a circle around him at one point with their guns drawn, the footage shows. Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026 The lock is compatible with Alexa and Google Home for voice commands, too. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026 Patrol boroughs are commands that oversee local police precinct operations. Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026 Powering its robots is the firm’s in-house Helix AI system, a vision-language-action model that powers its robots and enables learning through observation and verbal commands. Dylan Butts, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026 The model allows the robot to also respond to verbal commands. Bruna Horvath, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026 The department spokesperson reaffirmed allegations that Barranco swung a weed whacker at agents and resisted commands and handcuffs. Sierra Van Der Brug, Oc Register, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
Like Wawa, in Pennsylvania, and H-E-B, in Texas, Publix—founded in 1930 by a former Piggly Wiggly manager in Winter Haven, Florida—is a regional chain that commands an almost religious devotion. Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026 Trump still commands strong support among his party, especially with MAGA Republicans. Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026 Iran’s Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which commands both the regular military and the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, suggested this morning there are no ongoing peace talks. Monica Alba, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026 Iran’s Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which commands both the regular military and the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, dismissed the idea of talks. Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026 When a lift is detected, the controller commands the suit’s actuators to apply supporting force. Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 24 Mar. 2026 Perhaps no group exemplifies the genre’s success more than BTS, the massively popular boy band that commands an expansive base of fans. Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 22 Mar. 2026 God commands Abram to leave his native land in search of a new one. Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 22 Mar. 2026 Leading an international ensemble, Jessie Mei Li commands the screen as Cola. Faye Bradley, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commands
Noun
  • Logic suggested that when these instructions were followed, the parasite should produce similar amounts of each protein.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Repeat 3 to 5 times, or as many times as the instructions recommend.
    Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Lucrative, fully remote data science jobs with robust salaries usually require technical proficiencies that are gauged in an interview.
    Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Industry experience and demonstrated proficiencies are among the top factors considered by employers surveyed in NACE’s Job Outlook 2026.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 25 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • McMorris added that public agencies ca,n be more vulnerable to contracting abuses without strong safeguards, pointing to practices such as limits on no-bid contracts, multi-level approval processes, regular audits and stricter controls on contract changes and cost overruns.
    Teresa Liu, Daily News, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Tech companies have been responding to mental health concerns, rolling out new parental controls so parents can keep track of their children’s screen time and moderating harmful content.
    Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The move to Amazon comes after the episode premiered on the Backyard Sports YouTube channel on January 29, quickly amassing more than 1M unique views on the platform.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Several of the actors in the show have been questioned about joining the franchise despite its creator’s anti-trans views.
    Zack Sharf, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The legislation orders West Bank military courts — which try only Palestinians — to make the death penalty the default sentence for those convicted, except in special circumstances.
    Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Ellie finally leaves after Daisy orders her back to the cabin.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • This session, the Legislature also passed House Bill 822, which requires schools and health care providers to inform a parent within 72 hours if a child requests to take steps to socially transition, which could include using pronouns or names that align with their gender identity.
    Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Ryan, and his 6-year-old brother, have volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, a favorite of the Carters, and Ryan regularly requests a night's reading material to contain information on former presidents, according to videos posted by his mother.
    Irene Wright, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • For men, black tie permits a suit or a tuxedo, while white tie demands the black tailcoat and white bowtie brief as explained above.
    Vogue, Vogue, 27 Mar. 2026
  • The movement frames these systems not merely as traffic technologies, but also as linchpins of an expanding government data dragnet – one that demands stronger democratic oversight and community consent.
    Jess Reia, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • For noncustodial parents, these age rules only matter if Form 8332 is in place.
    Jenni Fink, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Artemis is the daughter of Zeus, who rules over all of the other gods, and Leto, one of the goddesses of childhood.
    Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 26 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Commands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commands. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

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