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

But suffice to say, given the rank and file of the club, let’s hope those fancy guests really take the opportunity to challenge and inspire. —Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2025

Although endorsed by labor management, the rank and file rejected the initial offer of a 20% wage increase and a $5,000 acceptance bonus. —Jerrold Lundquist, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025

By way of comparison with the rank and file, Amazon’s Prime Video boasts north of 200 million customers around the world—which puts it a good 100 million subs shy of leader Netflix. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 11 Aug. 2025

Powell is also facing criticism from some in the rank and file. —Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 24 June 2025

Rhymes for the rank and file

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