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
Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd’s decision to pass on North Carolina and remain with the Wildcats brought him a raise, more money for his staff and a new chain of command, as the school’s president will make more high-level determinations for the program, rather than the athletic director.
—
Chris Vannini, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Second, a clear chain of command.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 4 May 2026
Nor was McGovern, who was too far up the criminal chain of command to perform such dirty work.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 30 Apr. 2026
The entire chain of command has a responsibility in this moment to step up and put their country over their loyalty to the president.
—Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chain of command
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.
Chris Vannini, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Second, a clear chain of command.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 4 May 2026
Nor was McGovern, who was too far up the criminal chain of command to perform such dirty work.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 30 Apr. 2026
The entire chain of command has a responsibility in this moment to step up and put their country over their loyalty to the president.
—Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for 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 7 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
