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
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.
The report detailed procedural missteps and communication gaps, resulting in the discipline of at least three officers in the gunman's chain of command. Christopher Cann, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025 The premise here is that authority requires distance, and relationships muddy the chain of command. Paula Ferrada, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025 Koumjian said investigators were working to determine how the airstrikes were ordered, who was in the chain of command and who flew the planes. Jennifer Jett, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2025 But, even if Israel did kill a lot of Hamas fighters and further weaken their chain of command, at this point its structure doesn’t really exist. Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for chain of command

Word History

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chain of command was in 1825

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Cite this Entry

“Chain of command.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chain%20of%20command. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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