1
as in commander
a person in overall command of a ship
the captain is responsible for everything that happens to his ship in the course of a voyage
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2
as in commandant
one in official command especially of a military force or base
the captain of the largest army ever marshaled for battle in this country
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3
as in leader
the person (as an employer or supervisor) who tells people and especially workers what to do
we only do what the captain tells us to, so it's not our fault when things don't work out
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4
as in tycoon
a person of rank, power, or influence in a particular field
a fascinating magazine article profiling the captains of the American auto industry
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1
as in to supervise
to be in charge of
if you do well on this, you'll be asked to captain the next mission
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2
as in to rule
to exercise authority or power over
captained the project for a few days while the boss was out of town
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3
as in to command
to serve as leader of
you did a good job of captaining the team
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of captain
Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
The senior captain is rangy with rare speed and explosiveness for his frame (6-4, 240), and showcases his safety background in coverage with the ability to lock down tight ends and running backs in space.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 20 Dec. 2025
Messi, who captained Argentina for the first time in a friendly match at the Salt Lake stadium in a 1-0 win over Venezuela in 2011, virtually unveiled a 70-foot statue of himself in Kolkata earlier on Saturday.
—Reuters 23 Hr Ago, CNN Money, 14 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for captain
Noun
The visitors’ captain will not be able to bowl on Thursday after suffering a groin injury in the day’s third over.
—Verb
Fifty-five seconds later, forecheck pressure led to captain Radko Gudas’ shot, creating a rebound for Poehling.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for captain
Noun
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Mark Macpherson, the detachment commander for Shelburne District RCMP, told CBC News that video footage captured from a nearby residence shows the dogs ran out into the road while Nickerson was riding his bike past their owners’ property.—
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Target the Supreme Leader and senior Revolutionary Guards commanders.—
Noun
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Washington — The Senate confirmed Admiral Kevin Lunday as Coast Guard commandant Thursday night after agency guidance on the display of hate symbols such as swastikas and nooses was clarified.—
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The family in question belongs to Rudolf Höss, commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp, located right next to his perfect home.—
Noun
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The Chiefs’ announcement has energized Missouri leaders around keeping the Royals.—
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Drivers will no longer be able to travel straight through the corridor, though county leaders say local access will remain available for people who live or work in the area.—
Noun
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Amidst all those tech tycoons, luxury’s biggest name sits at seventh in the billionaire rankings.—
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Former Russian banking tycoon Oleg Tinkov says a single Instagram post condemning the war in Ukraine cost him nearly $9 billion, after he was forced to sell his stake in his bank for a fraction of its real value.—
Verb
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Taking calcium and vitamin D together is generally safe and helps support bone health when supervised by a doctor.—
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He will be supervised for five years, in line with his six-year 2023 sentence.—
Verb
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The officials were fooled, ruling it incomplete.—
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Two federal judges ruled on October 31 that the administration needed to at least partially fund the benefits using an agency contingency fund of about $5 billion.—
Verb
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Morgan Stanley currently doesn't crack the top-10 list of ETF issuers, according to data compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence, and commands fewer assets in the space than newcomers such as Neos Investments, which got its start in 2022.—
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Actual firepower, sources say, is controlled by Army Chief Domingo Hernández Lárez, who commands the operational units capable of sustained combat.—
Noun
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That decision could come as soon as this week, leaving the next skipper to assemble a coaching staff.—
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The team will hire 33-year-old Blake Butera as their new skipper, per multiple reports.—
Cite this Entry
“Captain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captain. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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