second-in-command

noun

: someone who is ranked second in a group or organization
the police chief's second-in-command

Examples of second-in-command in a Sentence

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As deputy attorney general, Blanche was the Justice Department’s second-in-command. ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026 Alfonso Carmona, the second-in-command of Chicago Public Schools, is stepping down Friday as acting chief education officer — less than a week after the appointment of CPS CEO Macquline King and amid calls for greater Latino representation in her cabinet. Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026 But Mecklenburg’s second-in-command for communications has a higher salary than the city’s — $189,001 to $155,000. Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 31 Mar. 2026 Lynch-Reyes, a veteran educator with deep ties in District 21 as a former principal and the prior superintendent’s second-in-command, has not publicly acknowledged the allegations, nor has she personally been accused of any wrongdoing. Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for second-in-command

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Cite this Entry

“Second-in-command.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/second-in-command. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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