commanding officer

noun

Synonyms of commanding officernext
: an officer in command
especially : an officer in the armed forces in command of an organization or installation

Examples of commanding officer in a Sentence

He reported the incident to his commanding officer. reported directly to the fort's commanding officer
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.
Oakman said that when an officer is arrested, they are required to immediately alert their commanding officer. Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026 David Skarosi, the Ford’s commanding officer. Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 18 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

Word History

First Known Use

1720, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of commanding officer was in 1720

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Cite this Entry

“Commanding officer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commanding%20officer. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

commanding officer

noun
: an officer having charge of a military or naval unit, organization, or base
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