chain of command

noun

1. a series of administrative or military ranks, positions, etc., in which each has direct authority over the one immediately below.

Word History and Origins

Origin of chain of command¹

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

Later, it posted a graphic depicting 11 high-ranking members of Hezbollah’s military chain of command.

From Los Angeles Times

Then, an Israeli air strike on Friday on the group’s stronghold of Dahieh, in southern Beirut, essentially wiped out the chain of command of its main fighting unit, the Radwan Force.

From BBC

"It is also clear from their preliminary investigation that the IDF has deployed deadly force without regard to its own protocols, chain of command and rules of engagement," WCK said in a statement in April.

From BBC

Had a rank-and-file prosecutor drafted the Biden indictment and sent it up the chain of command for approval, the question would have been whether there were aggravating factors to justify the case.

From Los Angeles Times

The Israeli military said in a statement that the investigation had been turned over to a fact-finding group that operates independently outside the army’s chain of command.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• bureaucracy
• hierarchy
• network
• structure