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
Kerry Washington stars as Major Charity Adams, the real-life commanding officer of the unit and the highest-ranking Black female officer during the war.
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Gayle King, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2024
Repeat guest Charlie Chaplin played polo for the Coronado team and palled around with future Duchess of Windsor Wallis Simpson, who lived at the hotel with her first husband, Earl Winfield Spencer Jr., first commanding officer of Naval Air Station North Island.
—Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Dec. 2024
In 1944 Adams Earley was picked to be the commanding officer of the first Black WAC unit sent overseas.
—Laura A. Bischoff, The Enquirer, 24 Dec. 2024
Two weeks later, the Curtiss’ commanding officer listed 20 dead, 54 injured and one missing.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for commanding officer 
Gayle King, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2024
Repeat guest Charlie Chaplin played polo for the Coronado team and palled around with future Duchess of Windsor Wallis Simpson, who lived at the hotel with her first husband, Earl Winfield Spencer Jr., first commanding officer of Naval Air Station North Island.
—Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Dec. 2024
In 1944 Adams Earley was picked to be the commanding officer of the first Black WAC unit sent overseas.
—Laura A. Bischoff, The Enquirer, 24 Dec. 2024
Two weeks later, the Curtiss’ commanding officer listed 20 dead, 54 injured and one missing.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for commanding officer
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Cite this Entry
“Commanding officer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commanding%20officer. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
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