commanding officer

noun

: an officer in command

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

Synonyms of commanding officer

• commander
• commandant

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

There were bigger, longer battles and other Native victories between March 1876 and June 1877, but Goodhouse said only the Battle of Greasy Grass — named by Native Americans for the slick grass along the river — gained national recognition because the commanding officer was killed. — ABC News, 25 June 2026

Another probe involves James McCarthy, the current assistant chief and commanding officer of the Manhattan South precinct, and former Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Tarik Sheppard, who retired last year. — Anna Schecter, CBS News, 24 June 2026

Fergie quickly learned that all commanding officers were White, and no Black troops could achieve a rank higher than sergeant. — Literary Hub, 16 June 2026

Cruise played Chief John Anderton, the commanding officer of the precrime unit, while Farrell played Danny Witwer, an agent from the Department of Justice. — Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1720, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

commanding officer

noun

: an officer having charge of a military or naval unit, organization, or base