surgeon general
noun
plural surgeons general
: the chief medical officer of a branch of the armed services or of a public health service
Examples of surgeon general in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The surgeon general should be someone who can stand in operating rooms and emergency departments with credibility, and who understands both bedside medicine and public health.
—
Jerome Adams, STAT, 27 Feb. 2026
Health leaders, including former surgeons general, have questioned her qualifications for the position.
—Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
Previously, Vivek Murthy served as the 19th and 21st surgeon general under Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
—Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
Senators grill Means on vaccines As the nation’s doctor, the surgeon general is a leader for Americans on public health issues.
—Ali Swenson, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surgeon general
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.
Jerome Adams, STAT, 27 Feb. 2026
Health leaders, including former surgeons general, have questioned her qualifications for the position.
—Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
Previously, Vivek Murthy served as the 19th and 21st surgeon general under Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
—Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
Senators grill Means on vaccines As the nation’s doctor, the surgeon general is a leader for Americans on public health issues.
—Ali Swenson, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surgeon general
Cite this Entry
“Surgeon general.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surgeon%20general. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
