C.B.E.
abbreviation
Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
C.B.E.
Americanabbreviation
CBE
British
abbreviation
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.
See Examples For:
David Bowie turned down an award naming him a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, or C.B.E., in 2000 because, he explained, “I seriously don’t know what it’s for.”
From New York Times ● Jan. 27, 2023
But he has met her son, when Morgan was awarded a C.B.E., this year, for services to drama.
From The New Yorker ● Nov. 4, 2016
Alfred Hitchcock turned down a C.B.E. in 1962, but perhaps he was angling for something better — he was later made a Knight Commander of the British Empire.
From New York Times ● Jan. 27, 2012
Colonel Harry M. Llewellyn, C.B.E., looks like Alec Guinness, talks like a Noel Coward character and rides a horse as well as Sir Gordon Richards, England's beknighted jockey.
From Time Magazine Archive
Among the French officials was M. Le Sous-Intendant Bezombes, C.B.E., who is the administrative head of the French Government services dealing with their own war graves.
From The King's Pilgrimage by Sir Frank Fox
Several of the Lionesses who won Euro 2025 are appointed MBEs, including Chloe Kelly who scored the penalty to win the tournament, while Charlotte Tilbury, founder of her eponymous beauty brand, is made a CBE.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
Although the Zara collaboration was with the brand Jo Loves, Estée Lauder took issue with the use of Malone's name on the packaging, which read: "A creation by Jo Malone CBE, founder of Jo Loves."
From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2026
In January 2026 he was made a CBE in the King's New Year Honours for services to technology and digital skills.
From BBC ● Mar. 25, 2026
Prof McQueen, who was awarded a CBE for services to the NHS in 2021, is also vice-chairwoman of Scotland's drugs deaths taskforce.
From BBC ● Feb. 5, 2026
"The key insight was realizing that you don't actually want to push the system into the deepest possible valley," says Robert Riggleman, Professor in CBE and co-senior author of the paper.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 15, 2026
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.
