captaining

verb

present participle of captain
1
as in supervising
to be in charge of if you do well on this, you'll be asked to captain the next mission

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in governing
to exercise authority or power over captained the project for a few days while the boss was out of town

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in leading
to serve as leader of you did a good job of captaining the team

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of captaining In 1731 Brit Robert Jenkins was captaining one such ship, en route from Jamaica to London, when Spanish guards boarded it in the West Indies. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Oct. 2026 In between those two groups is George Campbell, who got a January-camp look in 2025 and now, at age 25, is captaining West Brom in the English Championship. — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 Both vessels are equipped with the latest marine tech, with twin Simrad displays making captaining a cinch. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2026 As her folks are in their eighties, Mary is now generally captaining the ship that is the Berry Center. — Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026 In a matter of years, Kapoor went from owning a multimillion-dollar home in Cocoplum and captaining a 68-foot yacht to living in federal custody. — Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026 Rodri, signed from Manchester City after captaining Spain to the World Cup title, came off the bench in the 62nd minute to a warm welcome from the Camp Nou crowd. — ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026 Celebrini got back to the Bay Area on Monday after an offseason that included captaining Team Canada at the IIHF World Championship in May in Switzerland, and watching Canada play in the World Cup in his hometown of Vancouver. — Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026 Knight has an incredible track record of success from college to the pros and at the international level, captaining Team USA Women's hockey to a gold medal at the 2026 Olympics in February. — Matt Finkel, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for captaining
  1. supervising
  2. governing
  3. leading
  4. overseeing
  5. ruling
  6. commanding
  7. handling
  8. managing
Verb
  • His daughter gradually took over supervising much of the team's management and became CEO in August 1998 after her father was elected commissioner.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Children under 12 must be accompanied by a supervising companion who is at least 14 years old.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of supervising
Verb
  • And the United States has also failed to invest consistently in international technical standards — the common rules governing advanced and interconnected technologies such as telecommunications.
    — Andrei Iancu, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose religious-nationalist coalition is projected to lose its governing majority at the October 27 election, has been more circumspect.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of governing
Verb
  • By halftime, the fourth-year pro who entered the game leading the NFL in receptions and yards stood at six catches, 129 yards and a touchdown.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Booker scored 19 points in the first half, leading the Suns to a 57-54 halftime lead.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of leading
Verb
  • Judge Heather Beato, appointed by DeSantis to the 10th Judicial Circuit in 2020, is overseeing the case, a court docket shows.
    — Justin Garcia, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Instead, the board should function as a concert of great powers, both democratic and autocratic, tasked with managing crises and overseeing and building consensus on matters of global governance.
    — Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of overseeing
Verb
  • The ruling party that acting President Delcy Rodríguez belongs to, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, also staged a gathering near the opposition demonstrators in Caracas, though for a women’s march for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 23 Oct. 2026
  • An influential nationalist group close to the ruling party went further, demanding that Starlink be kept out of India altogether, citing national security concerns.
    — Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of ruling
Verb
  • The Eagles then took a commanding 21-0 lead with an accurate 59-yard TD strike from Wilson to four-star wide receiver Julian Caldwell, a Texas Tech commit.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Mikhail Shaidorov fell in his biggest competition since winning Olympic figure skating gold, leaving Adam Siao Him Fa with a commanding lead at the Grand Prix de France on Saturday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of commanding
Verb
  • Employee did not wash hands after handling raw food and changing gloves, before handling ready to eat foods.
    — NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
  • About one-quarter of AAPI adults approve of the way Trump is handling his job as president overall.
    — Terry Tang, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of handling
Verb
  • By contrast, recent restrictions or delays suggest a greater emphasis on managing relations with Beijing and avoiding unnecessary escalation.
    — Ningrong Liu, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • My experience includes managing campaigns, leading teams, and building relationships with community leaders.
    — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of managing

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Cite this Entry

“Captaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/captaining. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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