command
verb (used with object)
to direct with specific authority or prerogative; order.
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command
American
[kuh-mand, -mahnd]
/ kəˈmænd, -ˈmɑnd /
verb (used with object)
-
commands,
present (3rd person singular)
-
commanded,
past participle, past
-
commanding
present participle
-
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)
-
commands,
present (3rd person singular)
-
commanded,
past participle, past
-
commanding
present participle
-
to issue an order or orders.
-
to be in charge; have authority.
-
to occupy a dominating position; look down upon or over a body of water, region, etc.
noun
-
commands
plural
-
the act of commanding or ordering.
- Synonyms:
- injunction, bidding, direction, instruction, mandate, charge
-
an order given by one in authority.
The colonel gave the command to attack.
-
Military.
-
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.
-
-
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.
-
British. a royal order.
-
power of dominating a region by reason of location; extent of view or outlook.
the command of the valley from the hill.
-
Computers.
-
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.
-
a single instruction.
-
adjective
-
of, relating to, or for use in the exercise of command: command post.
a command car;
command post.
-
of or relating to a commander.
a command decision.
-
ordered by a sovereign, as if by a sovereign, or by the exigencies of a situation.
a command performance.
command
1
British
/ kəˈmɑːnd /
verb
-
(when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to order, require, or compel
-
to have or be in control or authority over (a person, situation, etc)
-
(tr) to have knowledge or use of
he commands the language
-
(tr) to receive as due or because of merit
his nature commands respect
-
to dominate (a view, etc) as from a height
noun
-
an order; mandate
-
the act of commanding
-
the power or right to command
-
the exercise of the power to command
-
ability or knowledge; control
a command of French
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military the jurisdiction of a commander
-
a military unit or units commanding a specific area or function, as in the RAF
-
-
an invitation from the monarch
-
( as modifier )
a command performance
-
-
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
command
Idioms
Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
commandsimple
-
commandssimple
-
have commandedperfect
-
has commandedperfect
-
am commandingprogressive
-
are commandingprogressive
-
is commandingprogressive
-
have been commandingperfect progressive
-
has been commandingperfect progressive
Past
-
commandedsimple
-
had commandedperfect
-
was commandingprogressive
-
were commandingprogressive
-
had been commandingperfect progressive
Future
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
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.
Vocabulary lists containing command
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The New SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The ACT Reading Test: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 5
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Maiava said he continues to refine his command of Riley’s offense and has learned more than he imagined was possible when he started.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Talarico has made the New Testament command to love thy neighbor a centerpiece of his campaign.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
“You are not alone,” he said, announcing an emergency command post to oversee rescue efforts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
Alongside the fire engines, four water carriers, six off-road vehicles and multiple command vehicles were also in attendance.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
The command desk does not say anything about the recording I sent.
From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga
Central Command, spent several hours aboard the Lincoln meeting with sailors and Marines during a 10-day tour of the region.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
Last Monday, Colonel Ryan Donald, spokesman for the US and South Korean Combined Forces Command, said the Ulchi Freedom exercise would simulate combat against North Korean troops battle-hardened by deployment in the Russia-Ukraine war.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
The US Navy did not immediately provide answers to questions from AFP, but US Central Command posted on X that the crew "remain resilient and resolved after more than 260 days at sea."
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
It said several reforms had been introduced to support victims, including the Defence Serious Crime Command providing specialist support through the justice process - outside of the Army chain of command.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
What Command didn’t know was how deep the enemy had dug into the island.
From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac
The person was “armed” with a large flagpole and an unknown cylindrical object, the chief said, and was taken into custody after refusing officers’ commands to drop the items.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
ISAs are the language through which software tells a chip’s processor what to do, such as perform calculations, move data or execute commands in a program.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
"We have executed multiple successful operations across combatant commands while ensuring the US military possesses a deep arsenal of capabilities to protect our people and our interests," he said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
The agents also hallucinated reams of incoherent commands and text and were sloppy and did not cover their tracks well.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
"That bully flung some money at me, hoping I'd tell on you. Here," she commands, "take it."
From "Born Behind Bars" by Padma Venkatraman
Shares of Microsoft now trade at 25x forward earnings, a significant discount from the 33x multiple they commanded a year ago.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026
North Korea has deepened its ties with Russia since the Kremlin commanded the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
Jet fuel and diesel were particularly hit and commanded high premiums.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Whether he was playing steely but likeable heroes or a chillingly menacing villains, Neill was one of the most versatile stars in the film industry and always commanded attention on screen.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
"You must grow the most magnificent flower," the father commanded.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
After commanding the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, Washington voluntarily surrendered his military commission to Congress rather than retaining control of the army.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
But Zhu’s successors have reasserted party control over the economy’s commanding heights.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
At the time of Abadigga's disappearance, PCT's directors included Maj Gen Herbert Mashego, the then commanding officer of 5 Special Forces Regiment.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
Self Esteem, known for her hit tracks Focus Is Power and I Do This All The Time, is no stranger to commanding both the stage and screen.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
The voice was high, and shrill, and commanding.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
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.
