the rank and file
noun
1
: the people in the army, navy, air force, etc., who are not officers
2
: the members of a group or organization who are not leaders
The rank and file is/are unhappy with the chairman's decision.
Examples of the rank and file in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Crack down on problem officers and excessive force, without alienating the rank and file.
—
Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2024
At first glance, the rank and file are more bullish on generative AI, with 95% seeing value in working with it.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 31 May 2024
He was generally seen as popular among the rank and file, and a number of pro-war military bloggers came to his defense on Tuesday.
—Paul Sonne, New York Times, 21 May 2024
Several California police unions have come out against a recent WalletHub study that concluded the state was the best place to be a police officer, with critics citing low morale among the rank and file because of law enforcement staffing issues and soft-on-crime polices.
—Louis Casiano, Fox News, 8 May 2024
With very limited exceptions (i.e. very specific categories like flamenco or vallenato), the rank and file of voters should decide who final nominees are.
3.
—Leila Cobo, Billboard, 17 Apr. 2024
However, by focusing only on the CEO (or other senior officers), the board might miss the chance to revisit how the rank and file are compensated.
—Bruce Shaw, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024
Employees from that era say Dell became more connected than ever to his workforce, and even better about communication with the rank and file.
—Michal Lev-Ram, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2024
Others might preemptively retire early—a dynamic that could spread throughout the officer corps and eventually even to the rank and file.
—Risa Brooks, Foreign Affairs, 20 Mar. 2024
Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2024
At first glance, the rank and file are more bullish on generative AI, with 95% seeing value in working with it.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 31 May 2024
He was generally seen as popular among the rank and file, and a number of pro-war military bloggers came to his defense on Tuesday.
—Paul Sonne, New York Times, 21 May 2024
Several California police unions have come out against a recent WalletHub study that concluded the state was the best place to be a police officer, with critics citing low morale among the rank and file because of law enforcement staffing issues and soft-on-crime polices.
—Louis Casiano, Fox News, 8 May 2024
With very limited exceptions (i.e. very specific categories like flamenco or vallenato), the rank and file of voters should decide who final nominees are.
3.
—Leila Cobo, Billboard, 17 Apr. 2024
However, by focusing only on the CEO (or other senior officers), the board might miss the chance to revisit how the rank and file are compensated.
—Bruce Shaw, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024
Employees from that era say Dell became more connected than ever to his workforce, and even better about communication with the rank and file.
—Michal Lev-Ram, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2024
Others might preemptively retire early—a dynamic that could spread throughout the officer corps and eventually even to the rank and file.
—Risa Brooks, Foreign Affairs, 20 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the rank and file.' 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 the rank and file
Cite this Entry
“The rank and file.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20rank%20and%20file. Accessed 12 Jun. 2024.
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