RANK AND FILE Synonyms: 53 Similar and Opposite Words

rank and file

noun

Definition of rank and file

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of rank and file The choice was particularly interesting to Hollywood rank and file, which, in the era of M&A and private equity investments, is contending with more than a few minefields. — Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2026 Biden’s decision to continue military aid to Israel, with only a handful of exceptions, as the death toll mounted in Gaza and Israel failed to facilitate adequate aid, caused widespread distress in the administration, on Capitol Hill, and in the party’s rank and file. — Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026 But as the tables turned quickly on Thursday afternoon, many rank and file staffers expressed regret that the studio would not be hitched to the industry’s dominant subscription streaming platform but rather to a smaller, struggling rival legacy media conglomerate. — Brent Lang, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026 Compromise with police union The notion of tweaking retirement rules for police leadership initially ruffled feathers among the police department’s rank and file. — Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rank and file

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rank and file

Noun

Human rights lawyer Rosy Auguste Ducena, who advocates for the rights of victims of violence, says the Haitian public is fed up with the slow pace of change.

— Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Caltrans said the deck replacement is necessary to preserve the structural integrity of the bridge and improve safety for maintenance workers, truck drivers and the traveling public.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of public

Noun

Despite Jack’s best efforts to bring Christmas cheer to the world, his gifts horrify the populace.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Oct. 2026
The decision was ultimately reversed by a New York Supreme Court judge, on the grounds that Warren violated the populace’s religious liberties.

— Clare Whitton, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of populace

Noun

Carnegie Hall seats well over 3,000 people, but this intense, no-frills performance film gives life to the old saying about feeling alone in a crowd.

— Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
That left a thinner-than-expected crowd, mostly made up of local executives, to hear the kingdom seek deeper international cooperation to secure energy supplies and trade routes.

— Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of crowd

Noun

Another 13 people were wounded on downtown Sacramento’s K Street and 10th Street, in what became the deadliest mass shooting in the city’s history.

— Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2026
Organizers say more than 125,000 people are expected throughout the event, bringing in millions of dollars for the local economy.

— Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 19 June 2026

Definition of people

Noun

And with each new mass shooting, that divide may only deepen.

— Jillian Turanovic, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
Peterson used screen names of mass shooters, including the name of the gunman who killed students at Sandy Hook Elementary School and the man who killed movie-goers in Aurora, Colorado.

— WCCO Staff, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of mass

Noun

Organized crime helped build up Las Vegas, and a body stuffed in a barrel was known to signify a mob killing.

— CBS News, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Homicide detectives took over the investigation and determined he had been murdered right around the time when mob organization was dying out in Sin City.

— Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of mob

Browse Nearby Words

rank

rank and file

rank and files

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Rank and file.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rank%20and%20file. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of rank and file

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

jilt

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes