1
as in commandant
one in official command especially of a military force or base a surrender of the fort by the commander without a single shot having been fired

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2
as in captain
a person in overall command of a ship the intrepid commander of the HMS Surprise

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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 commander The second circle comprises veteran Islamist commanders and influential figures with governance experience in Idlib who, while not formally part of HTS, play key roles in staffing the civil administration. Jerome Drevon, Foreign Affairs, 11 Apr. 2025 Other key firings were Gen. CQ Brown Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. Tim Haugh, commander of U.S. Cyber Command and director of the National Security Agency. Tara Copp, Twin Cities, 11 Apr. 2025 The commander of the Eastern Theater Command from 2019 to 2022 was He. Nectar Gan, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2025 Haugh, a career Air Force leader, was deputy commander of U.S. Cyber Command at Fort George G. Meade, Md., until President Joe Biden tapped him to lead the NSA in Feb. 2024. Josh Meyer, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for commander
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commander
Noun
  • The audit success is also an integral part of the military branch’s readiness to defend, if needed, the USMC commandant noted.
    Washington Examiner Staff, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 6 Feb. 2025
  • Trump already had fired the Coast Guard commandant.
    Susan Page, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • As someone who was an athlete, a team captain, and a coach and watched sports her whole life, Gaines has incorporated this knowledge into her training to address communications, negotiations, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, team building, and cooperation, among many other things.
    Molly Peck, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
  • These pilots are the only ones allowed to make the 50-mile transit, with the ship’s captain required to cede control for the complex journey through the isthmus passage.
    Silvana Paternostro Nathalia Angarita, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • While Rice’s ability to punish baseballs landed him a somewhat regular spot in the Yanks’ lineup, his versatility offers a nice bonus to the skipper.
    James O'Connell, New York Daily News, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Will Venable appreciated the support following his first win as Sox skipper.
    LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Commander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commander. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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