marching orders

plural noun

: authoritative orders or instructions especially to set out on or as if on a march

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Beyond jealousy or envy, that show rose me from the dead and gave me my marching orders to raise the bar on Devo in a do-or-die effort. Liza Lentini, SPIN, 16 Dec. 2022 The power play will have a new look and new marching orders. Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 12 Oct. 2022 Remembering John Adams Just before the pre-game rain Wednesday evening, an Air Force color guard pulls on its white gloves, adjusts its silvery helmets and takes its marching orders. Debbi Snook, cleveland, 3 Feb. 2023 To some homeless services providers, the back-to-back emergency declarations are a welcome sign that the days of receiving competing marching orders from the city and county are over. Rebecca Ellisstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2023 But software follows whatever marching orders it’s been given. Tom Mustill, Time, 17 Nov. 2022 He’s gone up yonder and left us with marching orders. Joshua Bote, USA TODAY, 30 July 2020 My marching orders are to aggressively sue anyone with a media or social-media following who damages her with intentional lies. Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 14 Sep. 2022 Emmer appeared days later on Fox News Sunday with the marching orders. Anchorage Daily News, 10 Nov. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'marching orders.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1714, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of marching orders was in 1714

Dictionary Entries Near marching orders

Cite this Entry

“Marching orders.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marching%20orders. Accessed 21 Mar. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!


Which Came First?

  • baby chick with a brown egg
  • hot take or cold shoulder?
Name That Thing

You know what it looks like… but what is it called?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY