1
a
: a pit or enclosure for cockfights
b
: a place noted for especially bloody, violent, or long-continued conflict
2
obsolete : the pit of a theater
3
: a compartment in a sailing warship used as quarters for junior officers and for treatment of the wounded in an engagement
4
: a space or compartment in a usually small vehicle (such as a boat, airplane, or automobile) from which it is steered, piloted, or driven
see airplane illustration
Examples of cockpit in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Beyond these first steps, changes to cockpit avionics could help better manage the problem by improving software filters that detect big jumps in position and time, and making sure ground position warning systems don’t retain spoofed information, Faragher said. —
Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026 Most people her age are giving up their driver's licenses, but 83-year-old Cecilia Stratford is still in the cockpit. —Rina Nakano, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026 The focus narrows in on the remaining passengers and crew in the main sections of the aircraft not blown to bits, the cockpit and a stretch of the main cabin (finally, a reward for flying coach), precariously perched on a reef outcrop. —David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 2026 The helm recalls a cockpit, with shell seats in a custom pattern inspired by the iconic Ferrari Daytona upholstery. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cockpit
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026 Most people her age are giving up their driver's licenses, but 83-year-old Cecilia Stratford is still in the cockpit. —Rina Nakano, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026 The focus narrows in on the remaining passengers and crew in the main sections of the aircraft not blown to bits, the cockpit and a stretch of the main cabin (finally, a reward for flying coach), precariously perched on a reef outcrop. —David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 2026 The helm recalls a cockpit, with shell seats in a custom pattern inspired by the iconic Ferrari Daytona upholstery. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cockpit
Cite this Entry
“Cockpit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/cockpit. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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cockpit
noun
cock·pit ˈkäk-ˌpit 
: a space or compartment in a usually small vehicle (as a boat, airplane, or automobile) from which it is steered, piloted, or driven
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