command
Americanverb (used with object)
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to direct with specific authority or prerogative; order.
The captain commanded his men to attack.
- Antonyms:
- obey
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to require authoritatively; demand.
She commanded silence.
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to have or exercise authority or control over; be master of; have at one's bidding or disposal.
The Pharaoh commanded 10,000 slaves.
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to deserve and receive (respect, sympathy, attention, etc.).
He commands much respect for his attitude.
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to dominate by reason of location; overlook.
The hill commands the sea.
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to have authority over and responsibility for (a military or naval unit or installation); be in charge of.
verb (used without object)
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to issue an order or orders.
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to be in charge; have authority.
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to occupy a dominating position; look down upon or over a body of water, region, etc.
noun
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the act of commanding or ordering.
- Synonyms:
- injunction, bidding, direction, instruction, mandate, charge
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an order given by one in authority.
The colonel gave the command to attack.
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Military.
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an order in prescribed words, usually given in a loud voice to troops at close-order drill.
The command was “Right shoulder arms!”
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the order of execution or the second part of any two-part close-order drill command, as face in Right face!
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Command, a principal component of the U.S. Air Force.
Strategic Air Command.
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a body of troops or a station, ship, etc., under a commander.
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the possession or exercise of controlling authority.
a lieutenant in command of a platoon.
- Synonyms:
- understanding, knowledge, grasp, comprehension, proficiency, domination, sway, ascendancy, control, charge, authority
-
He has a command of French, Russian, and German.
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British. a royal order.
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power of dominating a region by reason of location; extent of view or outlook.
the command of the valley from the hill.
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Computers.
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an electric impulse, signal, or set of signals for initiating an operation in a computer.
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a character, symbol, or item of information for instructing a computer to perform a specific task.
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a single instruction.
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adjective
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of, relating to, or for use in the exercise of command: command post.
a command car;
command post.
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of or relating to a commander.
a command decision.
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ordered by a sovereign, as if by a sovereign, or by the exigencies of a situation.
a command performance.
verb
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(when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to order, require, or compel
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to have or be in control or authority over (a person, situation, etc)
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(tr) to have knowledge or use of
he commands the language
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(tr) to receive as due or because of merit
his nature commands respect
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to dominate (a view, etc) as from a height
noun
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an order; mandate
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the act of commanding
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the power or right to command
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the exercise of the power to command
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ability or knowledge; control
a command of French
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military the jurisdiction of a commander
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a military unit or units commanding a specific area or function, as in the RAF
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an invitation from the monarch
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( as modifier )
a command performance
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computing a word or phrase that can be selected from a menu or typed after a prompt in order to carry out an action
noun
Related Words
Other Word Forms
- commandable adjective
- precommand noun
- uncommanded adjective
- well-commanded adjective
Etymology
Origin of command
First recorded in 1250–1300; (verb) Middle English coma(u)nden, from Anglo-French com(m)a(u)nder, Old French comander, from Medieval Latin commandāre, equivalent to Latin com- com- + mandāre “to entrust, order” ( commend ); (noun) late Middle English comma(u)nde, from Anglo-French, Old French; the noun is derivative of the verb
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.
Much of Iran’s leadership is in hiding, and U.S. and Israeli officials say its command and control has been disrupted.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
Such assessments rely on incomplete information or are outright incorrect, a spokesman for Iran’s military joint command told a state-run broadcaster, according to The Wall Street Journal External link.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
Verified pictures show a US command and control aircraft has been destroyed at an air base in Saudi Arabia.
From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026
Meta and Google each had multiple partners from white-shoe firms at the defense table every day for eight weeks in Los Angeles, attorneys who can command thousands of dollars per billable hour.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026
The command center has determined that my landing was stable and that my wheels are not out of place.
From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga
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.
