commander

[kuh-man-der, -mahn-] / kəˈmæn dər, -ˈmɑn- /

NOUN

leader of military or other organization

Synonyms

STRONGEST

administrator captain chief commandant director head officer ruler

STRONG

boss co czar don exec guru kingfish kingpin mastermind skipper

WEAK

big cheese head honcho head person high priest/priestess higher up lead-off person point person top banana top brass top dog

Antonyms

STRONGEST

employee worker

WEAK

follower

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"We have moved from operating in tents and open environments, to commercial buildings, to aircraft hangars, and now to underground locations," explained one commander during last week's exercise.

From BBC • May 24, 2026

Shortly after the Tallet al-Khayat strike, Israel's army said it had "struck a Hezbollah commander in Beirut".

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

It features the harrowing story of a Ukrainian drone commander and the wounded soldier he evacuated, as well as an exclusive look inside a drone manufacturer racing to meet demand from the Ukrainian military.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

The city owes more than its name to the first commander in chief; George Washington encouraged the French developer Pierre Charles L’Enfant to design a capital that would symbolize the nation.

From Slate • May 18, 2026

But whether or not Valentin wanted to be there leading the 587th, and whether or not they wanted him there, he wasn’t going to shirk his responsibility as a commander.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

Vocabulary lists containing commander

This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for February 5–February 11, 2022

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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for December 18–December 24, 2021

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Graham's Top 50 Words, in terms of relevance

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