1
as in commandants
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in captains
a person in overall command of a ship
the intrepid commander of the HMS Surprise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commanders
Israel also killed senior Iranian commanders and struck symbolic regime targets.
—
Karl Vick, Time, 13 Jan. 2026
Behind the scenes, however, sources say panic is spreading within the armed forces, as commanders struggle to understand who is really in charge — and how far the United States is willing to go.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 10 Jan. 2026
Many military commanders were killed.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2026
For many of these commanders, losing power would mean losing wealth and potentially their life.
—Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
Everyone must now accept that these are law enforcement decisions to be made by Snelling and other top commanders in the interests of citywide safety.
—John Schmidt, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
The special prosecutor’s team has accused Yoon and his military commanders of ordering a covert drone operation into the North to inflame tensions between the neighbors and justify his martial law decree.
—Reuters 2 Hr Ago, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2025
Fort Worth commanders placed Johnson on restricted duty for the duration of the incomplete criminal and Internal Affairs Unit administrative investigations, according to a department spokesperson.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Nov. 2025
Experts and onlookers have questioned with growing concern whether these strikes are legal, and whether military lawyers that the Pentagon has encouraged commanders to ignore had signed off on the operations.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commanders
Noun
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Honorary captains Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber was an honorary captain for Indiana and watched the game from the Hoosiers’ sideline.—
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Honorary captains Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber was an honorary captain for Indiana and watched the game from the Hoosiers sideline.—
Noun
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Keep your eyes open for Martial and Mallow scrub-hairstreaks, lyside sulphurs, malachites, and a variety of skippers fluttering among the blooms.—
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Yacht skippers do this with a compass, log, chart, dividers, a straightedge, and a bit of luck, as do small plane pilots.—
Noun
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In 2025, the Navy expanded its training programs for future E-6B pilots, with courses now held in Oklahoma, where the majority of the aircraft are based and operated.—
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Both pilots survived the crash.—
Cite this Entry
“Commanders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanders. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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