chain of command
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of chain of command
First recorded in 1910–15
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.
The records show this early evacuation was run up the chain of command, meaning officials handling the emergency should have been aware of it.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
The procedure seems obvious now, but it established a chain of command that had previously varied from venue to venue.
From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026
A deputy steps forward; the chain of command stabilizes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
But with its government’s chain of command largely intact External link, Iran retains both the capability and the demonstrated willingness to target Gulf energy infrastructure and maritime traffic.
From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026
Despite the best efforts of my chain of command to get me back to the Bronx from Afghanistan, I could not get there in time to say goodbye.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
