as in public
the body of the community as contrasted with the elite
the chosen few might have the opportunity for a trip in the space shuttle, but it will be a while before the rank and file are taking space trips
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rank and file
The town is bleeding amid runaway production, audience apathy and a widening gap between the 1% and the industry’s rank and file.
—
Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 22 May 2025
The militia’s rank and file, meanwhile, was shattered first by pagers, then walkie-talkies that detonated in their hands, having been boobytrapped by Mossad.
—Karl Vick, Time, 13 June 2025
Recent encounters between Colombian law enforcement and armed groups suggest that children make up an alarming portion of their rank and file.
—Elizabeth Dickinson, Foreign Affairs, 8 May 2025
Instead, the recent raids have affected rank and file workers, most of whom were detained suddenly and face deportation.
—Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rank and file
Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 22 May 2025
The militia’s rank and file, meanwhile, was shattered first by pagers, then walkie-talkies that detonated in their hands, having been boobytrapped by Mossad.
—Karl Vick, Time, 13 June 2025
Recent encounters between Colombian law enforcement and armed groups suggest that children make up an alarming portion of their rank and file.
—Elizabeth Dickinson, Foreign Affairs, 8 May 2025
Instead, the recent raids have affected rank and file workers, most of whom were detained suddenly and face deportation.
—Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rank and file
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rank and file
Noun
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In pushing ahead with this plan, Netanyahu is going against the wishes of much of the Israeli public and even key voices in the military.—
Nadeen Ebrahim,
CNN Money,
8 Aug. 2025
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Constructed in 1913, the hotel helped introduce the American public to rock ‘n’ roll music.—
Korrin Bishop,
Southern Living,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
There’s a practical benefit to this, along with the synthetics’ super-strength; a story about aliens let loose on a vulnerable human populace would likely have to be a short one.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
5 Aug. 2025
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The broader populace is still seeing pay gains outpace inflation (although to a lesser extent than recent years).—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The Cubs crowd thinned out, and the twins’ shuttles swelled with more Brewers fans — happier, rowdier and presumably more intoxicated.—
Kylie Volavongsa,
jsonline.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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Drive four hours south down the Atlantic coast past La Rochelle and Bordeaux, and the summer crowd favorite of Arcachon is handing out fines of $175 (€150) to anyone considered to be not fully dressed.—
Alex Ledsom,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Our marine patrol people are going to be out there.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
13 Aug. 2025
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The world knew that approximately 1,700 innocent people were surrounded by ISIS and facing genocide.—
Nadia Murad,
Time,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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That is, unless steps are taken to preserve muscle mass through resistance training.—
Bryant Stamford,
The Courier-Journal,
14 Aug. 2025
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In July, board members of the Uvalde CISD unanimously voted in favor of releasing the records from the horrifying mass shooting at Robb Elementary, after 38 months of silence, grief and legal roadblocks.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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For the past few years of Sweeney’s rise to fame, she’s been upheld as a beacon of the anti-woke mob, a symbol of Making America Great Again.—
Kathleen Newman-Bremang,
Refinery29,
5 Aug. 2025
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Attorney: Separate skirmishes, no 'racist mob' Fox told The Enquirer that national and local voices have mischaracterized what actually happened.—
Kevin Grasha,
The Enquirer,
2 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rank and file.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rank%20and%20file. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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