commanding officer
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of commanding officer
First recorded in 1790–1800
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.
Her commanding officer described Sullivan - known as "Sully" to her friends - as a "fearless and gifted horsewoman".
From BBC • May 18, 2026
Actor James Tolkan, known for his role as the Hill Valley High principal in “Back to the Future” and the no-nonsense commanding officer in “Top Gun” has died.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
Capt. David Skarosi, the Ford’s commanding officer, acknowledged what he called the “sting” of the additional extension, adding it caught even him by surprise.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026
Maybe not in “Star Trek,” where survivors of its all-absorbing Borg collective include a Starship captain and a commanding officer.
From Salon • Dec. 29, 2025
The commanding officer was there, too, and Luc, which reassured me—of course I should have known that the commanding officer wouldn’t issue me any instructions without Luc’s knowing.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
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.
