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rear admiral

American  

noun

  1. U.S. Navy, Coast Guard. a commissioned officer next in rank below a vice-admiral.


rear admiral British  

noun

  1. an officer holding flag rank in any of certain navies, junior to a vice admiral

"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 rear admiral

First recorded in 1580–90


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:

Navy rear admiral told the BBC Radio4’s Today program that clearing the mines could take “weeks to months.”

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 15, 2026

Carrier deployments during peacetime are typically six months long, with planners allowing for a few months of potential overrun if needed, said Mark Montgomery, a retired rear admiral.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 21, 2026

When Robert Duvall was floundering around in college, his father, a career Navy man who retired with the rank of rear admiral, told him to shape up — and start acting.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 2026

Imposters like Jonathan Carley, who was fined £500 for dressing as a rear admiral without permission, complete with an array of impressive but unearned medals he bought online.

From BBC ● Jan. 21, 2026

A Japanese rear admiral, Masafumi Arima, was the first kamikaze pilot.

From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac

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