hierarchical

adjective

hi·​er·​ar·​chi·​cal ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-ki-kəl How to pronounce hierarchical (audio)
 also  hir-ˈär-
variants or hierarchic
ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-kik How to pronounce hierarchical (audio)
 also  hir-ˈär-
: of, relating to, or arranged in a hierarchy
a hierarchical society
a hierarchical order in the church
hierarchically
ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-ki-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce hierarchical (audio)
 also  hir-ˈär-
adverb

Examples of hierarchical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
A week before Zhang’s latest sentencing, China’s top lawmakers passed a bill to accelerate public health emergency responses by allowing people to report emergencies, bypassing the government’s usual hierarchical structure. Reuters, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2025 Unlike baby boomers who embraced existing institutions to get rich and live a comfortable life, the younger generations do not feel that institutions—which are perceived as cumbersome, hierarchical, and a source of inequality and discrimination—can improve their situation. Dave Smith, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2025 What To Look Out For • Influence isn’t hierarchical. Prithvi Singh Shergill, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 What immediately resonated with me was the collective’s deep commitment to collaboration and its genuinely non-hierarchical structure. Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hierarchical

Word History

Etymology

see hierarchy

First Known Use

1561, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hierarchical was in 1561

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hierarchical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hierarchical. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

hierarchical

adjective
hi·​er·​ar·​chi·​cal ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-ki-kəl How to pronounce hierarchical (audio)
variants or hierarchic
: of, relating to, or arranged in a hierarchy
hierarchically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on hierarchical

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