command
verb (used with object)
to direct with specific authority or prerogative; order.
had been commanding
-
past perfect progressiveof command.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
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.
At the time he captained the Titanic on its maiden voyage in 1912, Smith had been commanding large vessels for 25 years.
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2023
In the early hours of 24 February, he had been commanding a small unit of National Guardsmen in the village of Pyatikhatky, when he was joined by his father, Oleg.
From BBC ● Dec. 22, 2022
He had been commanding officer of the USS Mustin, a forward-deployed guided-missile destroyer, before that assignment.
From Reuters ● Jan. 29, 2016
Odierno selected Brooks, a distinguished infantry officer who had been commanding Army forces in the Middle East, to assume the challenge.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 30, 2013
I miss the dummy by a couple of inches and lose what little attention I had been commanding.
From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
