rank and file
Americannoun
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the ordinary soldiers of an army, excluding the officers
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the great mass or majority of any group or organization, as opposed to the leadership
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(modifier) of, relating to, or characteristic of the rank and file
rank-and-file opinion
rank-and-file support
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of rank and file
First recorded in 1590–1600
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.
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
Matt Cane, general secretary of the Metropolitan Police Federation that represents rank and file officers, said it was the right decision.
From BBC • Jan. 28, 2026
But among the rank and file, there is continued frustration with the department’s disciplinary system.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2025
Although the rank and file were cramped underground, the sentries had two large, roomy burrows to themselves, while each officer had a private burrow.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
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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.