hierarchical

adjective

hi·​er·​ar·​chi·​cal ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-ki-kəl 

 also  hir-ˈär-

variants or hierarchic

ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-kik 

 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 

 also  hir-ˈär-

adverb

Examples of hierarchical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Yet in the post-Cold War era, many young Thais feel alienated by the institution’s opaque, hierarchical structures, and desire more accountability. —Charlie Campbell, Time, 26 June 2025

But his plan to build Ultimate L relies on the mathematical universe being nicely structured, with the large cardinals forming a neat, hierarchical tower. —Gregory Barber, Quanta Magazine, 20 June 2025

The ancestral Menominee community that built the agricultural system uncovered by this new research, however, seems to have been less populous and hierarchical than a place like Cahokia, showing that large-scale agriculture may have been a part of life in very different kinds of societies. —Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 6 June 2025

Oftentimes in a hierarchical structure, by the time an idea is greenlit, a competitor may already be viral on TikTok. —Jaclyn Pagnotta, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

see hierarchy

First Known Use

1561, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hierarchical

• anti-hierarchical

Rhymes for hierarchical

• oligarchical
• anarchical

Kids Definition

hierarchical

adjective

hi·​er·​ar·​chi·​cal ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-ki-kəl 

variants or hierarchic

-kik 

: of, relating to, or arranged in a hierarchy

hierarchically

-ˈrär-ki-k(ə-)lē 

adverb