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

Relevance

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 Standard Starfleet protocol would usually dictate that the Enterprise intervene to prevent the Dol'Drm being destroyed by stolen Federation technology, but its commanding officer sees the bigger picture. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 23 July 2026 Steve Yargosz, the commanding officer at Great Lakes, found a way to partner with the city of North Chicago and Lake County to remove the houses and deal with potential contamination of the land. — Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026 The incident occurred while Scheublin had authority over his victim as the commanding officer at the 46th Precinct, prosecutors said, outlining the encounter in detail. — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 10 July 2026 Gabriel Edwards, the commanding officer of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5, was reported missing after the July 1 incident. — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for commanding officer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commanding officer
Noun
  • The arrests triggered a major counterterrorism investigation into the security breach at the strategic installation, which serves as a central intelligence hub supporting American military commanders across Europe and Africa.
    — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • These people, including Mohsen Rezaei, the national security adviser, and Hossein Taeb, the commander of Iran’s main domestic paramilitary forces, think deterring further attacks requires a decisive, aggressive response to any provocations.
    — Narges Bajoghli, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • According to this order, the prisoner is informed of the president's decision in person by the commandant, who is accompanied by a chaplain and, if available, a defense attorney.
    — Meagan Harris, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo ordered the immediate suspension of Niger ‌State’s ⁠NSCDC commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, pending the outcome of a full investigation.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Commanding officer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanding%20officer. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!