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 In some battle zones, half a dozen different militias have united to combat the junta’s forces, sometimes with no clear chain of command. Hannah Beech Adam Ferguson, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024 Police Chief Neil Noakes concurred with the chain of command’s determination and fired Barron from the department. Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2024 Knowingly searching the database for information about Americans requires analysts—who must now submit to annual training sessions—to seek approval from higher up the chain of command than before. Dell Cameron, WIRED, 12 Apr. 2024 The Israeli military's report admitted WCK had followed proper protocols in coordinating their convoy's movements the night of the strike but that somewhere along the chain of command, those communications were not properly passed along. Meghan Mistry, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2024 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

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

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

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 27 Apr. 2024.

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