commander

noun

com·​mand·​er kə-ˈman-dər How to pronounce commander (audio)
1
: one in an official position of command or control: such as
b
: the presiding officer of a society or organization
2
: a commissioned officer in the navy or coast guard ranking above a lieutenant commander and below a captain
commandership noun

Examples of commander in a Sentence

a surrender of the fort by the commander without a single shot having been fired the intrepid commander of the HMS Surprise
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Michael Reynolds-Pool/Getty Images Esper is one of the former officials from President Trump's first administration who has received threats from Iran over the 2020 U.S. killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Quds Force. Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2025 The attack took at least 3,000 senior Hezbollah fighters and commanders out of commission. Hanin Ghaddar, Foreign Affairs, 4 Feb. 2025 Hannan Gefen, the former commander of IDF's elite Unit 8200, told Fox News Digital. Amelie Botbol, Fox News, 4 Feb. 2025 For a unit commander, who goes by the callsign Tyson, any delay in that chain is a matter of life or death. Erin Banco, Anastasiia Malenko, USA TODAY, 3 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for commander 

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of commander was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near commander

Cite this Entry

“Commander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commander. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

commander

noun
com·​mand·​er kə-ˈman-dər How to pronounce commander (audio)
1
: one in official command especially of a military force or base
2
: a naval commissioned officer with a rank just below that of captain
commandership noun

More from Merriam-Webster on commander

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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