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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in directing
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1
as in instructing
to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority
the general commanded his troops with Caesar-like imperiousness
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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
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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
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4
as in governing
to exercise authority or power over
a cabinet secretary who commands the largest department in the federal government
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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
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6
as in dominating
to look down on
for centuries an imposing castle has commanded that stretch of the river
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in asking
to set or receive as a price
commands a high fee for his decorating services
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of commanding
Noel Burgess, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
The latest election results from Morgan Hill show incumbent mayor Mark Turner holding a commanding lead — 20 percentage points — over Yvonne Martínez Beltrán, while Miriam Vega and Soraida Iwanaga are set to take the two vacant city council seats.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
With partial results, Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter had tallied about 56% of the vote, gaining a commanding lead over his Republican challenger, insurance executive Nik Gjonaj, who had 44%, with about a third of the precincts counted.
—Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 6 Nov. 2024
Trump appears to have a commanding lead of the U.S. presidential election in Indiana.
—Chris Sims, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for commanding 
Adjective
Much like the Lion’s commanding presence, this wine shines at any gathering, with its lively bubbles and fruity aromas.
—Noel Burgess, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
The latest election results from Morgan Hill show incumbent mayor Mark Turner holding a commanding lead — 20 percentage points — over Yvonne Martínez Beltrán, while Miriam Vega and Soraida Iwanaga are set to take the two vacant city council seats.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
With partial results, Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter had tallied about 56% of the vote, gaining a commanding lead over his Republican challenger, insurance executive Nik Gjonaj, who had 44%, with about a third of the precincts counted.
—Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 6 Nov. 2024
Trump appears to have a commanding lead of the U.S. presidential election in Indiana.
—Chris Sims, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for commanding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commanding
Adjective
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One such name was DeSantis, Trump’s former primary challenger and prominent conservative figure.Cami Mondeaux, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 14 Dec. 2024
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With every testimony, Al-Hamada quickly became one of the most prominent advocates for Syrian prisoners held by Assad's regime, at least 157,000 between 2011 and August 2024, including thousands of women and children, according to a report by the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR).Camilla Alcini, ABC News, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
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They are suspected of instructing police officers to block lawmakers at the National Assembly who were there to reverse the martial law decree.Joohee Cho, ABC News, 11 Dec. 2024
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On March 22 a local Philadelphia newspaper printed a notice from Secretary of War James McHenry instructing the Pennsylvania militia to assemble.Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Outside, protesters surrounded the courtroom, many demanding a deal to release the Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and an end to the war.Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
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With Americans still exhibiting high rates of obesity, added sugars under the microscope, and consumers demanding better-for-you foods and beverages, healthier LNCS are poised for strong growth.Hank Cardello, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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In the past half hour, Saudi Arabia has been confirmed by the sports governing body FIFA.Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024
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Netanyahu is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, and his governing coalition is now dependent on key members of the country’s far-right settler movement.Mike Brest, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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But to have the engine running well, having Wall Street analyst sponsorship is worth a few cylinders.Cody Slach, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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When having fun is far down the list of priorities, sleeping with a delivery guy could be revolutionary.Peter Debruge, Variety, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The Trojans showcased physicality in the paint and at the point of attack on the boards, outscoring the Bulldogs 42-4 in the paint and dominating the glass with a 48-20 rebounding advantage.Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
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The company hopes to catch up with SpaceX, which is currently dominating with its workhorse Falcon 9 launch vehicle.Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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He was pictured leading a Cabinet meeting with his Idlib governing team, rebel leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa — also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani (above, right) — and several Assad holdovers, including outgoing Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali.Peter Weber, theweek, 11 Dec. 2024
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By spreading the burden of some of the work traditionally carried out by the CIO, businesses are able to bring a greater diversity of skills and experience to the tasks of leading organization-wide digital transformation in 2025.Bernard Marr, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Carter’s attorney Alex Spiro filed a motion Monday asking a judge to force the accuser to reveal her real name or dismiss the case.Conor Murray, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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Something dim and unknowable seemed to be asking me to trust it.Rebekah Pahl, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near commanding
Cite this Entry
“Commanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanding. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
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