rank and file

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Doyle said part of the secretary’s job is to set the tone for the agency so the rank and file know what is expected of them.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

An orderly transition would require assistance from the rank and file.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 22, 2026

But the rank and file, the “MAHA moms,” can be divided into two broad categories, which we’ll call the individualists and the structuralists.

From Slate • Feb. 21, 2026

But among the rank and file, there is continued frustration with the department’s disciplinary system.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2025

The seats were filling with officers in full uniform and their ladies; in remoter areas, the rank and file were admitted to celebrate their favorite Regimental commanders in this act of buffoonage.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson