commanding officer

noun

Synonyms of commanding officer

: an officer in command

especially : an officer in the armed forces in command of an organization or installation

Synonyms of commanding officer

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Examples of commanding officer in a Sentence

He reported the incident to his commanding officer. reported directly to the fort's commanding officer

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Fergie quickly learned that all commanding officers were White, and no Black troops could achieve a rank higher than sergeant. — Literary Hub, 16 June 2026 Adam Peeples, commanding officer of Ashland, said in a statement. — Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 June 2026 After giving his all during basic training and becoming one of the top trainees in boot camp, his commanding officers assigned him to the kitchen because of his emotional state. — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for commanding officer

Word History

First Known Use

1720, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of commanding officer was in 1720

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Browse Nearby Words

commanding

commanding officer

commanding presence

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Commanding officer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commanding%20officer. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

commanding officer

noun

: an officer having charge of a military or naval unit, organization, or base

commanding officer

noun

Synonyms of commanding officer

Examples of commanding officer in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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