commander in chief

See more synonyms for commander in chief on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural commanders in chief.

Also Commander in Chief. the supreme commander of the armed forces of a nation or, sometimes, of several allied nations: The president is the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force.
an officer in command of a particular portion of an armed force who has been given this title by specific authorization.

Origin of commander in chief

First recorded in 1635–45

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for commander in chief

president, generalissimo, shogun

Examples from the Web for commander in chief

Contemporary Examples of commander in chief

Philip Breedlove, NATO commander-in-chief, says this represents a shift, "from engagement to preparedness."
Shocked by Ukraine Violence, NATO Prepares to Face Down Putin
Leo Cendrowicz
October 12, 2014
I am also aware, however, that the average Supreme Court justice or federal judge serves far longer than the Commander-in-Chief.
Why Women Should Forget the White House
Keli Goff
July 21, 2014
Though the commander-in-chief should delegate as much as possible, wartime relationships matter.
How Obama Lost Afghanistan
Elise Jordan
April 5, 2014
For this raid, Mavrokordato anointed him, rather ridiculously, Archistrategos or commander-in-chief of Western Greece.
Poet and Rake, Lord Byron Was Also an Interventionist With Brains and Savvy
Michael Weiss
February 16, 2014
He was trying—forgive this Gergenism—to pass the commander-in-chief test to centrist voters.
Debate III: Obama Wins, But Does It Do Him Any Good?
Michael Tomasky
October 23, 2012

Historical Examples of commander in chief

This squadron, which was nearest the Commander-in-Chief, obeyed and hauled off.
The Life of Horatio Lord Nelson
Robert Southey
Now he was eager to get back to New York and tell the commander-in-chief the news.
The Dare Boys of 1776
Stephen Angus Cox
Dick took the seat and then looked at the commander-in-chief inquiringly.
The Dare Boys of 1776
Stephen Angus Cox
Will you show me to the presence of the commander-in-chief, sir?
The Dare Boys of 1776
Stephen Angus Cox
But the Commander-in-Chief must not tarry to bandy compliments.
Vivian Grey
Earl of Beaconsfield, Benjamin Disraeli

British Dictionary definitions for commander in chief

commander in chief

noun plural commanders in chief

the officer holding supreme command of the forces in an area or operation
the officer holding command of a major subdivision of one military service

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

commander in chief in Culture

commander in chief

The role of the United States president as highest ranking officer in the armed forces. The Constitution provides this power, but, through the system of checks and balances, gives Congress the authority to declare war. During periods of war, presidents such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, George H. W. Bush, William Jefferson Clinton, and George W. Bush have taken active roles as commander in chief.