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Synonyms

CEO

American  
Or C.E.O.

abbreviation

  1. chief executive officer: the head of an organization, company, etc.

CEO British  

abbreviation

  1. chief executive officer

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of CEO

First recorded in 1910–15; originally Australian

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Although the figures do not yet match pre-Covid totals, cinema owners are "very excited," said Michael O'Leary, CEO of Cinema United, the world's largest trade organization for movie theaters.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

She then posted on social media about her experience, and someone commented that Delta CEO Ed Bastian sometimes answers emails directly.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

Air India’s CEO is stepping down, less than a year after the crash of one of its planes that killed 260 people.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Angela Kerr, CEO of Citizens Advice Somerset, said: "Combining crisis payments with preventative and wraparound support will make a real difference."

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

“If we had asked to meet with the CEO, we wouldn’t have gotten to see him,” explained Charlie.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.