Lieutenant

/l(j)uˈtɛn.ənt/ adj, noun

adj, noun ·Common ·High school level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: The lowest junior commissioned officer rank(s) in many military forces, often Army and Marines.; In the US Army, Air Force and Marines, holding the rank above second lieutenant and below captain. Both ranks may be referred to as "lieutenant" or as the complete forms of the ranks.
  • Grammar: lieutenant is listed as adj, noun.
  • Nearest alternatives: deputy, acolyte, adc, adjutant.
  • Useful contrasts: admiral, commodore, commodores.
  • Usage evidence: He was demoted to the rank of lieutenant.

How to use "lieutenant"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lieutenant" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.

Meaning check

  • Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
  • Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
  • Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
  • Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?

Source and review context

This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "lieutenant" in a final draft.

If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.

Before you rely on this definition

Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "lieutenant" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lieutenant" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.

Compare nearby meanings

  • Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
  • Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
  • Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
  • Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.

Definition decision workflow

1. Identify the role

Check whether "lieutenant" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.

2. Test the nearest option

Compare it with "deputy" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.

3. Confirm with context

Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.

Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.

Final meaning check

Before publishing a sentence with "lieutenant", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.

When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The lowest junior commissioned officer rank(s) in many military forces, often Army and Marines.; In the US Army, Air Force and Marines, holding the rank above second lieutenant and below captain. Both ranks may be referred to as "lieutenant" or as the complete forms of the ranks. US
  2. 2
    Alternative letter-case form of lieutenant (when used as a title before a name) alt-of
  3. 3
    an assistant with power to act when their superior is absent wordnet
  4. 4
    The lowest junior commissioned officer rank(s) in many military forces, often Army and Marines.; A naval officer whose rank is above that of ensign in the United States Navy and below that of a lieutenant commander. There are two ranks of lieutenant: lieutenant junior grade and lieutenant. US
  5. 5
    an officer in a police force wordnet
Show 8 more definitions
  1. 6
    The lowest junior commissioned officer rank(s) in many military forces, often Army and Marines.; A commissioned officer in the United States Coast Guard, Public Health Service, or National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration whose rank is above that of ensign and below lieutenant commander. There are two ranks of lieutenant: lieutenant junior grade and lieutenant. US
  2. 7
    a commissioned military officer wordnet
  3. 8
    The lowest junior commissioned officer rank(s) in many military forces, often Army and Marines.; A commissioned officer in the British Army and Royal Marines, holding the rank above second lieutenant and below captain. Both ranks may be referred to as "lieutenant"; however, "second lieutenant" is to specify that the officer is not yet a full lieutenant. UK
  4. 9
    an officer holding a commissioned rank in the United States Navy or the United States Coast Guard; below lieutenant commander and above lieutenant junior grade wordnet
  5. 10
    The lowest junior commissioned officer rank(s) in many military forces, often Army and Marines.; A naval officer whose rank is above that of sub-lieutenant in the Royal Navy and below that of a lieutenant commander. UK
  6. 11
    The lowest junior commissioned officer rank(s) in many military forces, often Army and Marines.; A naval commissioned officer who holds the rank above sub-lieutenant and below lieutenant commander. Australia, Canada, New-Zealand
  7. 12
    A person who manages or executes the plans and directives of another, more senior person; a manager to their director.

    "Mr. Scott immediately asked someone at Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Wash., to get Mr. Nadella, the chief executive, out of a meeting he was having with top lieutenants."

  8. 13
    The second-in-command (2IC) of a group.
Adjective
  1. 1
    A military grade that is junior to the grade the adjective modifies: lieutenant colonel, lieutenant general, lieutenant commander. not-comparable

Antonyms

admiralcommodorecommodoresenlisted soldier

Example

"He was demoted to the rank of lieutenant."

Common questions

What does "lieutenant" mean?

The lowest junior commissioned officer rank(s) in many military forces, often Army and Marines.; In the US Army, Air Force and Marines, holding the rank above second lieutenant and below captain. Both ranks may be referred to as "lieutenant" or as the complete forms of the ranks.

What is a synonym for "lieutenant"?

Common synonyms include: deputy, acolyte, adc, adjutant, admiral, advocate.

How do you use "lieutenant" in a sentence?

He was demoted to the rank of lieutenant.

How do you pronounce "lieutenant"?

Pronounced /l(j)uˈtɛn.ənt/.

Etymology

From Middle English lieutenant, lieftenaunt, from Anglo-Norman lieutenant, lyutenaunt, leu tenant, leu tenaunt (“deputy, lieutenant”), from Old French lieu (“place”) + tenant (“holder”). Doublet of locum tenens.

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