pulled rank
Used position unfairly
Pulled rank means used one's superior position to override others or get one's way.
When someone pulls rank, they invoke their authority—military, corporate, or social—to end a dispute or demand compliance: The colonel pulled rank and canceled the mission.
The phrase often carries a whiff of unfairness, suggesting the person couldn't win on merit alone.
- abuse of powerMisusing entrusted authority
- power playStrategic leverage attempt
- superiorityHigher rank or quality
- power struggleContest for dominance
- commandAuthoritative instruction given
entitlement · manipulation · chain of command · authority figure · assertion · hierarchy · office politics · corporate culture · exploitation · pecking order · favoritism · overrule · coercion · micromanagement · seniority · trump card · unfair advantage · team dynamics