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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in directing
Related Words
1
as in instructing
to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority
the general commanded his troops with Caesar-like imperiousness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in governing
to exercise authority or power over
a cabinet secretary who commands the largest department in the federal government
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in dominating
to look down on
for centuries an imposing castle has commanded that stretch of the river
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in asking
to set or receive as a price
commands a high fee for his decorating services
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commanding
John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026
He's gone from about halfway down the list in the betting odds to having a pretty commanding lead over Johnson in Atlanta.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Adam Mansuroglu, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2026
Lay users chatting with chatbots are having an entirely different experience compared to people at the frontier commanding fleets.
—Tharin Pillay, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
Kaplan has commanding, comical moments throughout the play but shines in one of the play’s most memorable.
—Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Adjective
Republicans have a less commanding lead, 52-44, among Catholics.
—John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026
He's gone from about halfway down the list in the betting odds to having a pretty commanding lead over Johnson in Atlanta.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
Go back long enough and pink was considered entirely appropriate for creating a commanding, masculine look.
—Adam Mansuroglu, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2026
Lay users chatting with chatbots are having an entirely different experience compared to people at the frontier commanding fleets.
—Tharin Pillay, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
The young midfielder has started both of Bay’s games so far this season as the team seeks to redefine itself under new coach Emma Coates, with Hutton commanding the middle of the pitch.
—Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
Kaplan has commanding, comical moments throughout the play but shines in one of the play’s most memorable.
—Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commanding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commanding
Adjective
-
Strangely, as social media has moved from the text of status updates and tweets to short video, verbal commentary has actually grown more prominent and more viral.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Piker is one of the few prominent left-wing voices operating in digital spaces where young men congregate.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The controversy may have negatively impacted Best Actor Oscar chances for his performance in Josh Safdie’s solo directing effort, Marty Supreme.—
Chris Lee,
Vulture,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Ryan Gosling will no longer star in the next film from the Oscar-winning directing duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Variety has confirmed.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
According to MySA, signs appeared at certain Buc-ee’s fuel pumps instructing customers using a credit or debit card to pay at the pump.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Mar. 2026
-
That sense of normalcy largely held until Wednesday evening, when emergency alerts began chiming on phones across Riyadh, warning residents of an aerial threat and instructing them to remain indoors and away from windows.—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This film is about the government ordering the elderly to relocate to distant housing colonies to maximize economic productivity.—
Adam Bell
April 2,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The case is a rare example of a judge ordering a person’s return to the United States after being deported, said Talia Inlender, deputy director of the Center for Immigration Law and Policy at the UCLA School of Law.—
Sophie Austin,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Henry had led the victim’s parents and the public on for weeks, demanding a million francs in ransom when the child was already dead.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Julie Inman Grant, who is Australia's eSafety Commissioner, on Tuesday released her first compliance report since those laws took effect demanding 10 platforms remove all Australian account-holders younger than 16.—
ROD McGUIRK THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Brilliant, strong, visionary, a far different approach to governing as that nation’s first woman leader.—
Kevin Powell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Despite these risks, the five-year plans governing the expensive and time-consuming cleanups at the sites often failed to account for damage posed by flooding from sea-level rise and more frequent storms and wildfire, the IG’s review found.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Parents love having an easy, reusable activity for restaurants, travel days, sleepovers or quiet time at home.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Blue Owl, which is unique in having two of these nontraded private credit funds, is also among the last to report redemptions.—
Leslie Picker,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Stacy Jennings posted 2 hits, 2 RBIs and a walk while also dominating in the circle, allowing three hits and zero earned runs.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The goal is to make human-AI collaboration tools as fundable and attractive as the autonomous systems currently dominating AI investment.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanding. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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