rear admiral

noun

: a commissioned officer in the navy or coast guard having either of two ranks:
a
: one who ranks above a captain

called also rear admiral (lower half)

b
: one who ranks above a rear admiral (lower half) and below a vice admiral

called also rear admiral (upper half)

Examples of rear admiral in a Sentence

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.
The former rear admiral is board-certified in preventive medicine. Bridget Byrne, Baltimore Sun, 17 Apr. 2026 Schwartz, a Coast Guard rear admiral, served as deputy Surgeon General in the first Trump administration. Olivia Rinaldi, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026 In the past, Iran has even used civilian vessels to lay mines, Mark Montgomery, a retired US Navy rear admiral and senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told me. Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 3 Mar. 2026 Both men were tasked with leading Iran’s defense during the 12-day war with Israel in June, along with Shamkhani, a former navy rear admiral who was killed in Saturday’s strikes. Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rear admiral

Word History

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rear admiral was in 1589

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Cite this Entry

“Rear admiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rear%20admiral. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

rear admiral

noun
: a naval commissioned officer with a rank just below that of vice admiral

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