as in public
the body of the community as contrasted with the elite
the chosen few might have the opportunity for a trip in the space shuttle, but it will be a while before the rank and file are taking space trips
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rank and file
Speaker Johnson is facing a major test in his effort to rally his rank and file.
3:23
House Republican leaders plan to move forward with a vote on the budget plan Tuesday night despite opposition from at least four Republicans, leaning on President Donald Trump to help convince the holdouts.
—
John Parkinson, ABC News, 25 Feb. 2025
That set of three weeks of chaos when several top GOP leaders failed to secure enough support to get the gavel until Johnson, then a rank and file conservative member of the House Judiciary panel, was nominated with unanimous support.
—Deirdre Walsh, NPR, 3 Jan. 2025
Berkeley is struggling to retain city workers, both rank and file and key top administrators.
—East Bay Times Editorial, The Mercury News, 31 Oct. 2024
Luna said Friday that the agreement Democrats initially made with Johnson's team came about in a closed-door meeting that did not include rank and file Republicans.
—Savannah Kuchar, USA TODAY, 21 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rank and file
John Parkinson, ABC News, 25 Feb. 2025
That set of three weeks of chaos when several top GOP leaders failed to secure enough support to get the gavel until Johnson, then a rank and file conservative member of the House Judiciary panel, was nominated with unanimous support.
—Deirdre Walsh, NPR, 3 Jan. 2025
Berkeley is struggling to retain city workers, both rank and file and key top administrators.
—East Bay Times Editorial, The Mercury News, 31 Oct. 2024
Luna said Friday that the agreement Democrats initially made with Johnson's team came about in a closed-door meeting that did not include rank and file Republicans.
—Savannah Kuchar, USA TODAY, 21 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rank and file
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rank and file
Noun
-
In Weill’s opinion, composers educated in the classical tradition had lost touch with the broader public and sunk into obscurantism.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Given the isolationist tendencies of the U.S. public and Congress in the pre-war years—best exemplified by passage of the neutrality laws in the mid 1930s—Roosevelt’s ability to counter the economic autarky and expansionist aims of fascist Germany, Italy, and Japan was severely limited.—
Time,
Time,
12 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
In contrast to the anti-immigrant rhetoric emanating from the White House, the survey of 800 California voters portrays a populace that values the contributions of immigrants, regardless of legal status, and believes their well-being is intertwined with a well-functioning state.—
Rebecca Plevin,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Their exodus leaves behind a populace that, like in the Weimar Republic, dismisses each authoritarian advance as temporary, necessary—or even more astonishing, somehow contained.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Given the buzz, Glory owner and co-head coach Keke Blackmon has no idea how big of a crowd to expect Saturday.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2025
-
It’s expected the A’s will draw near-capacity crowds for the bulk of their games, particularly in series against popular teams like the Cubs, New York Yankees and the Giants.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The Kansas City Star 816-234-4431 Eric Adler, at The Star since 1985, has the luxury of writing about any topic or anyone, focusing on in-depth stories about people at both the center and on the fringes of the news.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
15 Apr. 2025
-
The storm wrecked more than 200 ships, killed over 700 people, and shocked a nation reliant on the sea for its economic and military strength.—
Danny Robb,
JSTOR Daily,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The regular army scales by giant pyramids of talent, and overwhelming mass.—
John Sviokla,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
In the two years since Tommy Elliott was killed in a mass shooting, Maryanne Elliott’s grief has, in turns, left her aghast and overwhelmed, bewildered and incapacitated, grateful and wanting to die.—
Kristina Goetz,
USA Today,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
After Lula took office, a mob of some four thousand Bolsonaro supporters gathered in the same plaza where Wanderley later blew himself up.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2025
-
There’s a, well, creepy scene with a mob of Creepers, which are essentially dead-eyed plant creatures.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rank and file.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rank%20and%20file. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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