Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Having command; controlling.
  • adjective Dominating, as by magnitude or position.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Directing with authority; invested with authority; governing; bearing rule; exercising authority: as, a commanding officer.
  • Of great or controlling importance; powerful; paramount: as, commanding influence.
  • Dominating; overlooking a wide region without obstruction: as, a commanding eminence.
  • Pertaining to or characteristic of a commander, or of one born or fitted to command; characterized by great dignity; compelling respect, deference, obedience, etc.: as, a man of commanding address; commanding eloquence.
  • Imperious; domineering.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Exercising authority; actually in command.
  • adjective Fitted to impress or control.
  • adjective Exalted; overlooking; having superior strategic advantages.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb Present participle of to command.
  • adjective tending to give commands, authoritarian
  • adjective impressively dominant

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective used of a height or viewpoint

Etymologies

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