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• command
  command

  verb (used with object)

  to direct with specific authority or prerogative; order.
• Command
  Command

  noun

  any of the three main branches of the Canadian military forces

command

American  

[kuh-mand, -mahnd] / kəˈmænd, -ˈmɑnd /

verb (used with object)

• commands,
  present (3rd person singular)
• commanded,
  past participle,  past
• commanding
  present participle

1. to direct with specific authority or prerogative; order.

   The captain commanded his men to attack.

   Synonyms:

   prescribe, order, instruct, enjoin, direct, charge, bid

   Antonyms:

   obey

2. to require authoritatively; demand.

   She commanded silence.

3. to have or exercise authority or control over; be master of; have at one's bidding or disposal.

   The Pharaoh commanded 10,000 slaves.

   Synonyms:

   oversee, manage, rule, lead, govern, control

4. to deserve and receive (respect, sympathy, attention, etc.).

   He commands much respect for his attitude.

   Synonyms:

   exact, claim, compel

5. to dominate by reason of location; overlook.

   The hill commands the sea.

6. to have authority over and responsibility for (a military or naval unit or installation); be in charge of.

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verb (used without object)

• commands,
  present (3rd person singular)
• commanded,
  past participle,  past
• commanding
  present participle

1. to issue an order or orders.

2. to be in charge; have authority.

3. to occupy a dominating position; look down upon or over a body of water, region, etc.

noun

• commands
  plural

1. the act of commanding or ordering.

   Synonyms:

   injunction, bidding, direction, instruction, mandate, charge

2. an order given by one in authority.

   The colonel gave the command to attack.

3. Military.

   1. an order in prescribed words, usually given in a loud voice to troops at close-order drill.

      The command was “Right shoulder arms!”

   2. the order of execution or the second part of any two-part close-order drill command, as face in Right face!

   3. Command, a principal component of the U.S. Air Force.

      Strategic Air Command.

   4. a body of troops or a station, ship, etc., under a commander.

4. 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

5. mastery; expertise.

   He has a command of French, Russian, and German.

6. British. a royal order.

7. power of dominating a region by reason of location; extent of view or outlook.

   the command of the valley from the hill.

8. Computers.

   1. an electric impulse, signal, or set of signals for initiating an operation in a computer.

   2. a character, symbol, or item of information for instructing a computer to perform a specific task.

   3. a single instruction.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or for use in the exercise of command: command post.

   a command car;

   command post.

2. of or relating to a commander.

   a command decision.

3. ordered by a sovereign, as if by a sovereign, or by the exigencies of a situation.

   a command performance.

command ¹ British  

/ kəˈmɑːnd /

verb

1. (when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to order, require, or compel

2. to have or be in control or authority over (a person, situation, etc)

3. (tr) to have knowledge or use of

   he commands the language

4. (tr) to receive as due or because of merit

   his nature commands respect

5. to dominate (a view, etc) as from a height

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noun

1. an order; mandate

2. the act of commanding

3. the power or right to command

4. the exercise of the power to command

5. ability or knowledge; control

   a command of French

6. military the jurisdiction of a commander

7. a military unit or units commanding a specific area or function, as in the RAF

8. 1. an invitation from the monarch

   2. ( as modifier )

      a command performance

9. computing a word or phrase that can be selected from a menu or typed after a prompt in order to carry out an action

Command ² British  

/ kəˈmɑːnd /

noun

1. any of the three main branches of the Canadian military forces

   Air Command

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command Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing command

• have a good command

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Synonym Usage

See direct. See rule.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• precommand
  noun
• commandable
  adjective
• uncommanded
  adjective
• well-commanded
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• commands
  plural

Participles

• commanding
  present
• commanded
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• command
  simple
• commands
  simple
• have commanded
  perfect
• has commanded
  perfect
• am commanding
  progressive
• are commanding
  progressive
• is commanding
  progressive
• have been commanding
  perfect progressive
• has been commanding
  perfect progressive

Past

• commanded
  simple
• had commanded
  perfect
• was commanding
  progressive
• were commanding
  progressive
• had been commanding
  perfect progressive

Future

• will command
  simple
• will have commanded
  perfect
• will be commanding
  progressive
• will have been commanding
  perfect progressive

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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” ( cf. commend); (noun) late Middle English comma(u)nde, from Anglo-French, Old French; the noun is derivative of the verb

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Explanation

A command is an order that you have to follow, as long as the person who gives it has authority over you. You don't have to comply with your friend's command that you give him all your money. Command, which can be a noun or a verb, combines the Latin prefix com-, meaning "with," and mandāre, "to charge, enjoin," so to give someone a command is to say something with the authority that charges him to follow it. Your mother might command you to clean your room. Command can also mean a position of power, like having command of a battleship, or possession of a skill, like having a great command of video games.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

command Command commands commanded commanding

Eighteen years later, his formal command remains formidable.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

“Heavy vehicle, medium distance, 11 o’clock,” he would pass on to Naum and the team at their command post, indicating an armored vehicle around 500 yards away.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

A president can command attention, share public debate and place enormous pressure on members of his own party.

From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026

It will also be a test of their command and control to ensure troops from different countries can work together.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

I mean it to come out as a command but it comes out as a plea.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Pyongyang will be sceptical of Washington's ability to deliver lasting concessions, said Michael Bosack, founding director of the Parley Policy Institute and a former UN Command official.

From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026

Nearby you’ll see the Apollo-Soyuz Command Module, which American astronauts Tom Stafford, Deke Slayton and Vance D. Brand flew to meet with a Russian Soyuz spacecraft orbiting Earth in 1975.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

The Pentagon said to contact US Southern Command, which did not immediately answer questions from AFP.

From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026

Central Command said Tuesday that American forces had assisted Gulf partners in shipping more than 19 million barrels of crude through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

I shouldn’t be in Command; I should be getting my hair buzzed.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

He is proposing eight to 10 regional police forces, supported by hundreds of local policing commands and a new National Police Service, in what would be the biggest overhaul since the 1960s.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

Radio waves travel at the speed of light, so commands transmitted from Earth will require a full day to reach Voyager 1.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026

Jeffrey Heames, who commands the carrier strike group.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

"Don't let them hear you. Silence, silence," commands one of the officers leading the search.

From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026

If, somehow, Jenny found out that Fred and Tater had disobeyed her direct commands that day, she might kick them both off the show.

From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein

The company posted a pronounced miss on search revenue, which fueled fears about whether AI will indeed eat away at the search dominance that the company has commanded for decades.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026

Both Karman and Mercury Systems trade at a forward earnings multiple of about 40 times, not cheap but considerably lower than the high multiples they previously commanded.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

Donald, who frequently commanded double-team blocking, made a memorable play near the end of the second quarter with the Giants — who had feasted on a Williams fumble — threatening to score.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

Gen. Harold G. Moore, who commanded a cavalry unit at the late 1965 Ia Drang battle, fretted how the war was “devastating to the morale and effectiveness of every American unit in combat.”

From Salon ● Sep. 20, 2026

Doc held up Coal’s backpack and without taking her eyes off Dr. Achebe, commanded, “Get dressed.”

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste

Taylor is known for playing commanding women — erect, articulate and immaculately put together.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026

But while commanding the Enterprise, he managed not neglect the theatre.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

Eisenhower led the US war effort against Nazi Germany, commanding the D-Day landings that launched the phase of conflict leading to Adolf Hitler's defeat.

From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026

Could we be making up for all our screen time by commanding group bonding between the Idareds and the Golden Delicious?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

He could remember Gideon’s face, his expression, his calm but commanding voice in the subway.

From "Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story" by Nora Raleigh Baskin

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Related Words

• ability
• authority
• control
• expertise
• government
• grasp
• jurisdiction
• leadership
• management
• skill
• supervision

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