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
White House spokesman Kush Desai indicated that Fain’s praise puts him in league with his union’s rank and file.
—
Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 31 Mar. 2025
The abrupt move to shutter VOA has shocked its rank and file, but signs of massive change at the agency have been evident for weeks.
—Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 18 Mar. 2025
More recently, he’s publicly called for more rank and file public involvement in government.
—David Jeans, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
Speaker Johnson is facing a major test in his effort to rally his rank and file.
3:23
House Republican leaders plan to move forward with a vote on the budget plan Tuesday night despite opposition from at least four Republicans, leaning on President Donald Trump to help convince the holdouts.
—John Parkinson, ABC News, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rank and file
Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 31 Mar. 2025
The abrupt move to shutter VOA has shocked its rank and file, but signs of massive change at the agency have been evident for weeks.
—Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 18 Mar. 2025
More recently, he’s publicly called for more rank and file public involvement in government.
—David Jeans, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
Speaker Johnson is facing a major test in his effort to rally his rank and file.
3:23
House Republican leaders plan to move forward with a vote on the budget plan Tuesday night despite opposition from at least four Republicans, leaning on President Donald Trump to help convince the holdouts.
—John Parkinson, ABC News, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rank and file
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rank and file
Noun
-
But the American public is bound to be particularly sensitive to the functioning of our transportation infrastructure.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2025
-
The idea has drawn some criticism, including the observation that the U.S. public has been getting along just fine all these years without such an advocate.—
Robert Goulder,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
Most of the initiatives looked good on paper but were largely ignored by the populace.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 May 2025
-
No one can say for sure how this is going to affect the populace on a near-term and long-term basis.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The Ronna’s Hut owner is gearing up for a much bigger crowd on June 7 because word of mouth for some reason is strong, with thousands of comments left on the festival’s social media.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
27 May 2025
-
In April, a 30-year-old man sped an SUV down a closed street into a crowd of people attending a Filipino heritage festival in Vancouver, Canada, killing 11.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
27 May 2025
Noun
-
The county of less than 8,000 people is also primarily served by one rural hospital with limited services.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
-
Several people sent the couple their condolences in the comment section.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
Across the United States in immigration courts from New York to Seattle this week, Homeland Security officials are ramping up enforcement actions in what appears to be a coordinated dragnet testing out new legal levers deployed by President Trump’s administration to carry out mass arrests.—
Joshua Goodman,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2025
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Treating dogs as child substitutes and seeking out extreme infantile traits in them raises several ethical concerns that have led to the mass breeding of some unhealthy traits over time.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
Hindus were among the victims: Their homes, temples, and businesses were attacked by mobs; thousands of Hindus living near the Indian border crossed over to seek refuge.—
Simon Montlake,
Christian Science Monitor,
16 May 2025
-
Attendees will have a chance to participate in a flash mob during the parade.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado,
Sacbee.com,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rank and file.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rank%20and%20file. Accessed 30 May. 2025.
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