as in commander
one in official command especially of a military force or base
reported directly to the fort's commanding officer
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Recent Examples of commanding officer
In 2013, Colonel Margolin, who had been serving as commanding officer of Quantico’s Security Battalion, was removed from command after negligently discharging a personal firearm, according to news reports at the time.
—
Chris Cameron, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
San-ho convinces Mun-ju to go warn the commanding officer, and to ask for a bomb expert.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
In 1955, Wilson has named commanding officer of Camp Pendleton’s 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025
Charlie was my commanding officer.
—Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 21 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commanding officer
Chris Cameron, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
San-ho convinces Mun-ju to go warn the commanding officer, and to ask for a bomb expert.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
In 1955, Wilson has named commanding officer of Camp Pendleton’s 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025
Charlie was my commanding officer.
—Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 21 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commanding officer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commanding officer
Noun
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If Running Fence was a war, Jeanne-Claude was clearly the commander.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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Iran has also plotted to assassinate senior US officials, especially after the killing of IRGC commander Qassem Soleimani in January 2020.—
Oren Liebermann,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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One of their leaders, a colonel of the Russian National Guard named Sergei Dovgan, began to act as the commandant of the surrounding town.—
Simon Shuster,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
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On January 21, one day into the new presidency, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security fired Admiral Linda Fagan, the first female commandant of the Coast Guard, without stating a reason.—
Max Boot,
Foreign Affairs,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Commanding officer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanding%20officer. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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