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
Before a small crowd of Gallo’s rank and file officers, Fisk placed the commish’s melon between his meaty palms, squeeeeeeezed….
—
Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 15 Apr. 2025
White House spokesman Kush Desai indicated that Fain’s praise puts him in league with his union’s rank and file.
—Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 31 Mar. 2025
The abrupt move to shutter VOA has shocked its rank and file, but signs of massive change at the agency have been evident for weeks.
—Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 18 Mar. 2025
More recently, he’s publicly called for more rank and file public involvement in government.
—David Jeans, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rank and file
Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 15 Apr. 2025
White House spokesman Kush Desai indicated that Fain’s praise puts him in league with his union’s rank and file.
—Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 31 Mar. 2025
The abrupt move to shutter VOA has shocked its rank and file, but signs of massive change at the agency have been evident for weeks.
—Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 18 Mar. 2025
More recently, he’s publicly called for more rank and file public involvement in government.
—David Jeans, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rank and file
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rank and file
Noun
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The issue has long divided the Jewish Israeli public, especially during the 20-month war in the Gaza Strip.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2025
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In part because there have been no assurances whatsoever that this administration keeps the private sector private and the public sector public.—
Miles Parks,
NPR,
11 June 2025
Noun
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That’s something that certainly showcases a semblance of how the populace might react.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
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For Bass, her speech was about more than just reassuring a disquieted populace and workforce.—
Julia Wick,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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American and Israeli colors lined the streets of Aventura, where a crowd of more than 500 people embarked Sunday on a three-mile march — escorted by police — to raise awareness for rising antisemitism at home and abroad.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2025
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Trump’s rallies, inflammatory language, thin skin toward criticism, obsession with crowd size and media coverage — Çifci suggests these to be symptoms of a personality driven by defensive grandiosity.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Noun
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Typhoon drowns China's Hainan island BEIJING -- Authorities evacuated thousands of people, closed schools and canceled flights Friday as a typhoon dumped heavy rain on parts of China's Hainan island and headed for the country's southern coast.—
Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports,
Arkansas Online,
14 June 2025
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By the numbers As of Friday (June 13), there are 7 people aboard the International Space Station: commander Takuya Onishi of JAXA, Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers and Jonny Kim of NASA and Kirill Peskov, Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky of Roscosmos, all flight engineers.—
Robert Z. Pearlman,
Space.com,
14 June 2025
Noun
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What specialists eventually discovered was a three-centimeter mass on his kidney: Stage 1 cancer.—
Jason Jones,
New York Times,
15 June 2025
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Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich will celebrate a Catholic mass afterward.—
Mark Guarino,
ABC News,
14 June 2025
Noun
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In 1958, President Eisenhower invoked the Insurrection Act to deploy troops to Arkansas to enforce the Supreme Court’s decision ending racial segregation in schools, and to defend Black students against a violent mob.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
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An angry mob of citizens — who recognized him from media coverage as the Night Stalker — surrounded him, beating him with a steel rod until police arrived.—
Lynsey Eidell,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rank and file.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rank%20and%20file. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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