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
This ongoing evolution of gender roles in racing extends beyond the cockpit.
—
Brendan Keegan, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2024
Another change is that while the film sees the hijackers smuggle weapons on board secretly through a crew member, in real life, the gun the hijackers used to enter the cockpit was a toy gun, as Ogunderu’s father told Punch in October 2024.
—Jordana Comiter, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024
Adding to that carry capability is a vast cavern of an interior opened up by the compact electric powertrain, barely-there hood, lack of standard seats beyond the driver's, and light digital cockpit.
—New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2024
After the snakes make their way into the cabin and the cockpit, biting numerous passengers and both pilots, the FBI agent escorting the witness must save the remaining passengers and land the plane.
—Mark Oppenheimer, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cockpit 
Brendan Keegan, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2024
Another change is that while the film sees the hijackers smuggle weapons on board secretly through a crew member, in real life, the gun the hijackers used to enter the cockpit was a toy gun, as Ogunderu’s father told Punch in October 2024.
—Jordana Comiter, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024
Adding to that carry capability is a vast cavern of an interior opened up by the compact electric powertrain, barely-there hood, lack of standard seats beyond the driver's, and light digital cockpit.
—New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2024
After the snakes make their way into the cabin and the cockpit, biting numerous passengers and both pilots, the FBI agent escorting the witness must save the remaining passengers and land the plane.
—Mark Oppenheimer, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cockpit
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cockpit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near cockpit
Cite this Entry
“Cockpit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cockpit. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
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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