commander in chief

noun phrase

: one who holds the supreme command of an armed force

Examples of commander in chief in a Sentence

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.
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office in just over a week, the returning commander in chief has scheduled a busy weekend of meetings with House Republicans to discuss policy priorities for the incoming administration. Cami Mondeaux, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Jan. 2025 Besides financially contributing to the fund, several top executives, including Google’s Sundar Pichai and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, have met with the incoming commander in chief at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s Florida residence. Filip Timotija, The Hill, 9 Jan. 2025 The rare gathering of commanders in chief offers an unusual moment of comity for the nation in a factionalized, hyper-partisan era. Bill Barrow, The Denver Post, 9 Jan. 2025 Elon Musk The world’s richest man spent over $200 million to get Trump elected, was tapped to co-lead a still-undefined Department Of Government Efficiency and has become inseparable with the incoming commander in chief—reportedly renting out a cottage at Mar-A-Lago. Joe Walsh, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for commander in chief 

Word History

First Known Use

1654, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of commander in chief was in 1654

Dictionary Entries Near commander in chief

Cite this Entry

“Commander in chief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commander%20in%20chief. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

commander in chief

: one who holds the supreme command of an armed force

More from Merriam-Webster on commander in chief

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