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Synonyms

commanding

American  
[kuh-man-ding, -mahn-] / kəˈmæn dɪŋ, -ˈmɑn- /

adjective

  1. being in command.

    a commanding officer.

  2. appreciably superior or imposing; winning; sizable.

    a commanding position; a commanding lead in the final period.

  3. having the air, tone, etc., of command; imposing; authoritative.

    a man of commanding appearance; a commanding voice.

  4. dominating by position, usually elevation; overlooking.

    a commanding bluff at the mouth of the river.

  5. (of a view, or prospect) provided by a commanding location and so permitting dominance.

    a commanding view of the mouth of the river.
commanding British  
/ kəˈmɑːndɪŋ /

adjective

  1. being in command

  2. having the air of authority

    a commanding voice

  3. (of a position, situation, etc) exerting control

  4. (of a height, viewpoint, etc) overlooking; advantageous

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • commandingly adverb
  • commandingness noun
  • quasi-commanding adjective
  • quasi-commandingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of commanding

First recorded in 1475–85; command + -ing 2

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.

The victory left Sindarov in a commanding position at the Candidates tournament, where the winner gets the chance to play for the World Chess Championship.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

Jai Field, on his return from injury, and Zach Eckersley gave the visitors what looked to be a commanding 24-10 lead before Saints pulled off a remarkable late comeback.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

While the imminent SpaceX initial public offering is commanding plenty of attention right now, there are already ways to get in on the space boom beyond public satellite and launch plays, according to analysts.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

Actor James Tolkan, known for his role as the Hill Valley High principal in “Back to the Future” and the no-nonsense commanding officer in “Top Gun” has died.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

“I have to report you to Captain Davies, my commanding officer,” he says.

From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.