as in hierarchy
a scheme of rank or order
their team placed third on the tournament ladder
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ladder
According to 2025 research from McKinsey & Company's Women in the Workplace report, women remain significantly underrepresented at the highest levels of leadership, with representation decreasing at each step up the corporate ladder.
—
Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Once Sigur gets a move up the soccer ladder, as he is expected to this summer, the rest of the world will see what a dynamic, intelligent and creative defender and midfielder Sigur is.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 12 June 2026
The only way real barriers to non-factory service could be required to work on a ladder-frame gas-engine truck would be if the automaker intentionally loaded it with proprietary nonsense.
—Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 11 June 2026
Somehow, a military career is the most effective and fastest social ladder for young Ukrainian men.
—Photovogue, Vogue, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ladder
Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Once Sigur gets a move up the soccer ladder, as he is expected to this summer, the rest of the world will see what a dynamic, intelligent and creative defender and midfielder Sigur is.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 12 June 2026
The only way real barriers to non-factory service could be required to work on a ladder-frame gas-engine truck would be if the automaker intentionally loaded it with proprietary nonsense.
—Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 11 June 2026
Somehow, a military career is the most effective and fastest social ladder for young Ukrainian men.
—Photovogue, Vogue, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ladder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ladder
Noun
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South Africa’s Standard Bank aims to be Kenya’s biggest lender by 2030, its regional chief told Semafor, a rare public shot at climbing East Africa’s banking hierarchy as the International Monetary Fund warns that the region’s economic buffers are dangerously fragile.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
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The hierarchy there is that the younger players very much look up to the senior players.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
14 June 2026
Noun
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The records may be similar in the group table, but they would not be treated the same in the cross-group ranking.—
Giovanni Malloy,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
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Mohamed Salah — Egypt/Liverpool Had this World Cup been taking place a year ago, Salah would have been near the top of this ranking.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
Noun
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Due to the scale of SNAP, which is almost 10 times larger in scale compared to food banks, the cutting of SNAP benefits can’t be made up through food banks, Cole said.—
Lina Ruiz
June 16,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 June 2026
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The scales on their wings fleck off and can’t be replaced.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ladder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ladder. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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