1
a
: a pit or enclosure for cockfights
b
: a place noted for especially bloody, violent, or long-continued conflict
2
obsolete
: the pit of a theater
3
: a compartment in a sailing warship used as quarters for junior officers and for treatment of the wounded in an engagement
4
: a space or compartment in a usually small vehicle (such as a boat, airplane, or automobile) from which it is steered, piloted, or driven see airplane illustration
Examples of cockpit in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Other than a window exposing the rear suspension, Ford did barely anything to differentiate the cockpit.
—
Tim Stevens, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2025
The panic began when a pilot reportedly heard knocking on the cockpit door and was unable to contact his crew.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Number of the day 140 That’s how many people were aboard a United Airlines flight last week when a mysterious object cracked a cockpit window mid-flight, forcing an emergency landing.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
The pilot was unable to contact the cabin crew and after hearing the knocking on the cockpit door, assumed someone was trying to break in and declared an emergency.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cockpit
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.
Tim Stevens, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2025
The panic began when a pilot reportedly heard knocking on the cockpit door and was unable to contact his crew.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Number of the day 140 That’s how many people were aboard a United Airlines flight last week when a mysterious object cracked a cockpit window mid-flight, forcing an emergency landing.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
The pilot was unable to contact the cabin crew and after hearing the knocking on the cockpit door, assumed someone was trying to break in and declared an emergency.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cockpit
Cite this Entry
“Cockpit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cockpit. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cockpit
noun
cock·pit
ˈkäk-ˌpit 
: a space or compartment in a usually small vehicle (as a boat, airplane, or automobile) from which it is steered, piloted, or driven
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share