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
Tiny stuff, that no one except insiders would notice—shuttle cockpit switch positions, authentic uniform patches, terminology.
—
Eric Berger & Lee Hutchinson, ArsTechnica, 31 May 2026
The release of that cockpit audio was a major embarrassment for the pilots and the airline, leading Congress to pass a law prohibiting the release of cockpit recordings.
—Joel Rose, NPR, 30 May 2026
The Majesty 100 Terrace that’s designed in collaboration with Phathom Studio in the Netherlands features a private owner’s bow-terrace, fold-down cockpit balconies and full walk-around decks.
—Bill Springer, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Each of the gunners need to press the white square button closest to the back of the cockpit.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 27 May 2026
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.
Eric Berger & Lee Hutchinson, ArsTechnica, 31 May 2026
The release of that cockpit audio was a major embarrassment for the pilots and the airline, leading Congress to pass a law prohibiting the release of cockpit recordings.
—Joel Rose, NPR, 30 May 2026
The Majesty 100 Terrace that’s designed in collaboration with Phathom Studio in the Netherlands features a private owner’s bow-terrace, fold-down cockpit balconies and full walk-around decks.
—Bill Springer, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Each of the gunners need to press the white square button closest to the back of the cockpit.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for cockpit
Cite this Entry
“Cockpit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cockpit. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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
