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
David Skarosi, the Ford’s commanding officer.
—
Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 18 Mar. 2026
If a humanoid robot malfunctions and commits a war crime or kills a noncombatant, is the software programmer or commanding officer held responsible?
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 10 Mar. 2026
The commanding officer was subsequently decorated.
—Letters To The Editor, Oc Register, 10 Mar. 2026
In the past, a soldier or a commanding officer might be court-martialed.
—Justin Salhani, The Dial, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commanding officer
Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 18 Mar. 2026
If a humanoid robot malfunctions and commits a war crime or kills a noncombatant, is the software programmer or commanding officer held responsible?
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 10 Mar. 2026
The commanding officer was subsequently decorated.
—Letters To The Editor, Oc Register, 10 Mar. 2026
In the past, a soldier or a commanding officer might be court-martialed.
—Justin Salhani, The Dial, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commanding officer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commanding officer
Noun
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But things spun out of his control when Tanaghrisson drove a hatchet into the French commander’s skull and his men began killing the wounded.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Police commander Chiarello Giuseppina got new duties this past summer when Portofino banned drinking alcohol or sitting on the ground in main streets and squares.—
Seth Doane,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
Noun
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Admiral Kevin Lunday, commandant of the Coast Guard, said the discovery reconnects the service to a defining moment in its history.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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Previously, warfare was about expensive platforms and precision strikes, driving a downsizing in military forces as countries increasingly relied on cutting-edge technology, said Blythe Crawford, former commandant of the RAF’s Air and Space Warfare Centre.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commanding officer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanding%20officer. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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