commanding officer

noun

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

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.
In exchange, the commanding officer, Kevin Taylor, pressured NYPD officials and City Council members to award the contracts to procure goods and services from the company, which sells panic buttons to school systems, according to an indictment. Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026 The dispatcher informed the commanding officer that Brown had five working officers and only two were available to provide him assistance at the time. Mark Reynolds, The Providence Journal, 9 Feb. 2026 Tom Cruise is Precrime's chief commanding officer, but the program is turned back around on him when he's flagged as a future murderer himself. Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Jan. 2026 Earl Potter, the vessel's commanding officer. Kerry Breen, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

commanding officer

noun
: an officer having charge of a military or naval unit, organization, or base
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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