chain of command
noun phrase
: a series of executive positions in order of authority
a military chain of command
Examples of chain of command in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Fisk said Penzone did change things at the administrative level, but those changes did not trickle down the chain of command.
—
The Arizona Republic, 12 Jan. 2024
Still, the breakdown in the chain of command has fueled bipartisan criticism and a barrage of attacks from Republicans on the competence of the White House.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2024
Killing senior leaders has at times disrupted the chain of command, leading to an increase in freewheeling, undisciplined groups willing to strike without the consent of the PMF leadership or its Iranian allies.
—Renad Mansour, Foreign Affairs, 26 Mar. 2024
From offices in minor cities, censors answer to a vast chain of command leading up to the central authorities in Beijing.
—Chang Che, The New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2024
But the steady drip of alarming news about the health of the defense secretary, second in the chain of command to the president, has eroded faith in the military, the senior Pentagon official said.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2024
The county lacked a clear chain of command, resulting in some county departments duplicating efforts, with other staff working triple their normal workload, according to the report.
—Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2024
Naturally, employees up and down the chain of command are feeling that fear—nearly 4 in 5 (78%) of the workers Ringover surveyed in December 2023 admitted to worrying about potential RTO mandates in their workplace.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2024
The chain of command, and lines of communication, will be different from project to project.
—Bob Verini, Variety, 16 Nov. 2023
The Arizona Republic, 12 Jan. 2024
Still, the breakdown in the chain of command has fueled bipartisan criticism and a barrage of attacks from Republicans on the competence of the White House.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2024
Killing senior leaders has at times disrupted the chain of command, leading to an increase in freewheeling, undisciplined groups willing to strike without the consent of the PMF leadership or its Iranian allies.
—Renad Mansour, Foreign Affairs, 26 Mar. 2024
From offices in minor cities, censors answer to a vast chain of command leading up to the central authorities in Beijing.
—Chang Che, The New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2024
But the steady drip of alarming news about the health of the defense secretary, second in the chain of command to the president, has eroded faith in the military, the senior Pentagon official said.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2024
The county lacked a clear chain of command, resulting in some county departments duplicating efforts, with other staff working triple their normal workload, according to the report.
—Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2024
Naturally, employees up and down the chain of command are feeling that fear—nearly 4 in 5 (78%) of the workers Ringover surveyed in December 2023 admitted to worrying about potential RTO mandates in their workplace.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2024
The chain of command, and lines of communication, will be different from project to project.
—Bob Verini, Variety, 16 Nov. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chain of command.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1825, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near chain of command
Cite this Entry
“Chain of command.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chain%20of%20command. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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