commanding officer

Definition of commanding officernext
as in commander
one in official command especially of a military force or base reported directly to the fort's commanding officer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 commanding officer Soldiers submitted ballots to be counted and recorded by commanding officers, and their votes played an important role in the reelection of Abraham Lincoln. Jamie Rowen, The Conversation, 2 July 2026 Cruise played Chief John Anderton, the commanding officer of the precrime unit, while Farrell played Danny Witwer, an agent from the Department of Justice. Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026 Another probe involves James McCarthy, the current assistant chief and commanding officer of the Manhattan South precinct, and former Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Tarik Sheppard, who retired last year. Anna Schecter, CBS News, 24 June 2026 There were bigger, longer battles and other Native victories between March 1876 and June 1877, but Goodhouse said only the Battle of Greasy Grass — named by Native Americans for the slick grass along the river — gained national recognition because the commanding officer was killed. ABC News, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for commanding officer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commanding officer
Noun
  • On Thursday, photos released by state broadcaster IRIB showed the commander sitting next to Khamenei’s casket during a farewell ceremony in Tehran.
    Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
  • Xi, who is also head of the military, presented orders promoting Zhang Shuguang and air force commander Wang Gang to generals at a ceremony Friday.
    ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Noun
  • Trump fired the woman commandant of the Coast Guard, the Black combat-veteran Air Force general who was the chair of the Joint Chiefs, and the first woman to be the chief of naval operations.
    David Remnick, New Yorker, 17 June 2026
  • The State Police will also hire a civilian director to work alongside the academy’s commandant, and institute baseline physical and psychological screenings for recruits before the academy begins.
    Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Commanding officer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanding%20officer. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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