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
That threat 10 years ago of taking away jobs, and the reality of losing the pension plan, is fueling much of the anger at Boeing among the rank and file.
—
Chris Isidore and Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN, 1 Nov. 2024
Even more surprising, there’s no evidence that Trump’s renegotiation of the allegedly nonnegotiable has hurt him among the rank and file of the party.
—Robert P. Jones, TIME, 10 Sep. 2024
In the wake of the July uprising, practically all the senior party leaders fled the country, leaving the rank and file to suffer reprisals.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 3 Oct. 2024
In the rank and file of men showering the cocks and balls took on the air almost of an independent species, exhibited in instructive contrasts.
—Charles McGrath, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2024
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Chris Isidore and Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN, 1 Nov. 2024
Even more surprising, there’s no evidence that Trump’s renegotiation of the allegedly nonnegotiable has hurt him among the rank and file of the party.
—Robert P. Jones, TIME, 10 Sep. 2024
In the wake of the July uprising, practically all the senior party leaders fled the country, leaving the rank and file to suffer reprisals.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 3 Oct. 2024
In the rank and file of men showering the cocks and balls took on the air almost of an independent species, exhibited in instructive contrasts.
—Charles McGrath, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for the rank and file
Dictionary Entries Near the rank and file
Cite this Entry
“The rank and file.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20rank%20and%20file. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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