chief of naval operations
noun phrase
: the ranking officer of the navy and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Examples of chief of naval operations in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Among those purged or forced to retire have been a chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chief of naval operations and the head of the Defense Health Agency.
—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2026
The Navy declined to invite USA TODAY to a news briefing with the chief of naval operations and barred its reporter from entering.
—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Since taking the helm at the Pentagon, Hegseth has fired more than a dozen senior military officers, including the Air Force vice chief of staff and the chief of naval operations.
—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
3 Apr. 2026
She will be renominated for a third star and go on to serve the chief of naval operations staff.
—
Arkansas Online,
19 July 2025
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.
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2026
The Navy declined to invite USA TODAY to a news briefing with the chief of naval operations and barred its reporter from entering.
—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Since taking the helm at the Pentagon, Hegseth has fired more than a dozen senior military officers, including the Air Force vice chief of staff and the chief of naval operations.
—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
3 Apr. 2026
She will be renominated for a third star and go on to serve the chief of naval operations staff.
—
Arkansas Online,
19 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chief of naval operations.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chief%20of%20naval%20operations. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
