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.
Corcoran doesn’t blame her chain of command at Fort Leavenworth. Kansas City Star, 8 July 2025 Soldiers seeking a nonreligious exemption will need a temporary medical profile and an exception-to-policy memo from a lieutenant colonel in the chain of command. Mike Brest, The Washington Examiner, 8 July 2025 As the complicated chain of command is in place to prevent military coups this created bottlenecks preventing quick decision-making. Natasha Lindstaedt, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025 Trump's decision to launch the strikes came after Israel launched a series of missile strikes on Iran that decimated the country's military chain of command and nuclear infrastructure. Amanda Castro hannah Parry shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 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 15 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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