the rank and file

noun

1

: the people in the army, navy, air force, etc., who are not officers

2

: the members of a group or organization who are not leaders

The rank and file is/are unhappy with the chairman's decision.

Examples of the rank and file in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The rise in Hispanic enlistment is one of the most dramatic demographic shifts in the rank and file in a generation. — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026

But the monitorship was never designed to give power to the rank and file. — Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 7 Aug. 2026

And that’s left the rank and file at both companies in a strange state of paralysis. — Brent Lang, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026

These schools admitted and trained Presbyterians who, as adults, became the rank and file of their congregations – and, as alumni, donated to their alma maters. — Thomas Adam, The Conversation, 4 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for the rank and file

• epicondyle
• geotextile
• nucleophile
• aisle
• bile
• chyle
• guile
• heil
• isle
• kyle
• mile
• pile