seniority
noun
se·nior·i·ty
sēn-ˈyȯr-ə-tē 
-ˈyär-
Examples of seniority in a Sentence
Promotions are based on merit and seniority.
a teacher with less seniority
He has worked here longer than I have, so he has seniority over me.
Recent Examples on the Web
Employees with the highest seniority will have the opportunity to return sooner as the plant gears up for production of the new Chevrolet Bolt.
—
Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 1 Oct. 2025
In 1971, Boone was named the head coach of the Titans, a decision that came as a surprise to many — Yoast had years of seniority there and was expected to get the job, per ESPN.
—Jessica Booth, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
Officers sign up for overtime based on seniority, and businesses and organizations are currently charged a flat rate of $126 per hour, regardless of an officer’s rank, said Assistant Police Chief Paul Ford.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 24 Sep. 2025
After awarding the voluntary furlough, management will proceed with involuntary furloughs in inverse order of system seniority up to the 1,800 number, in accordance with flight attendant contracts, the union said.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for seniority
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.
Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 1 Oct. 2025
In 1971, Boone was named the head coach of the Titans, a decision that came as a surprise to many — Yoast had years of seniority there and was expected to get the job, per ESPN.
—Jessica Booth, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
Officers sign up for overtime based on seniority, and businesses and organizations are currently charged a flat rate of $126 per hour, regardless of an officer’s rank, said Assistant Police Chief Paul Ford.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 24 Sep. 2025
After awarding the voluntary furlough, management will proceed with involuntary furloughs in inverse order of system seniority up to the 1,800 number, in accordance with flight attendant contracts, the union said.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for seniority
Cite this Entry
“Seniority.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seniority. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
seniority
noun
se·nior·i·ty
sēn-ˈyȯr-ət-ē
-ˈyär-
1
: the quality or state of being senior
2
: a privileged position arrived at by length of service
Legal Definition
seniority
noun
se·nior·i·ty
sēn-ˈyȯr-ə-tē
1
: the quality or state of being senior
2
: the senior status attained by length of continuous service (as in a company)
also
: the length of such continuous service
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share