ladder

noun, often attributive

lad·der | \ ˈla-dər

Definition of ladder

1 : a structure for climbing up or down that consists essentially of two long sidepieces joined at intervals by crosspieces on which one may step

2 : something that resembles or suggests a ladder in form or use especially : run sense 11a

3 : a series of usually ascending steps or stages : scale climbing up the corporate ladder

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Examples of ladder in a Sentence

He was moving up the corporate ladder. She worked her way up from the lowest rung on the economic ladder. She got a ladder in her stocking.

Recent Examples on the Web

Women often get bullied into climbing ladders to meet cultural expectations. — Cristina Goyanes, Marie Claire, "The Coolest Six-Figure Job You Never Thought You Wanted: Nannying," 14 Jan. 2019 That latter point is why dirt bikes allow kids to (legally) progress the power and displacement ladder more quickly than ATVs. — Ezra Dyer, Popular Mechanics, "Why the Honda CRF50F Is the Quintessential Starter Dirt Bike," 28 Nov. 2018 Upstairs, stacks of vintage suitcases line a high bedroom shelf; in the dressing room, a collection of panama hats adorns an antique ladder. — Maria Shollenbarger, ELLE Decor, "An Italian Design Firm Transforms Discreet-but-Luxe Kitchens with a Timeless Florentine Aesthetic," 18 Oct. 2018 Rather than freaking out, Beyoncé remained nonchalant, blowing kisses to the fans below and dancing along to their chanting her name, until a crew member could get an emergency ladder to her location. — Andrea Park, Teen Vogue, "Beyoncé Stopped Herself from Falling During OTRII Tour," 24 Aug. 2018 Rather than freaking out, Beyoncé remained nonchalant and blew kisses to the fans below until a crew member could set up an emergency ladder. — Andrea Park, Glamour, "Beyoncé Stopped Herself From Falling Down the Stairs in Concert Like a Pro," 24 Aug. 2018 Short matching ladders could be propped against the sides to access the roofs of structures built above the children’s heads. — Alexandra Lange, Curbed, "How not to cheat children: Let them build their own playgrounds," 18 July 2018 Stage techs were forced to go old-school to bring Beyonce back down to earth via an ordinary ladder. — Variety, chicagotribune.com, "Beyonce stranded by flying stage malfunction," 2 July 2018 His woodwork is displayed throughout the home and includes the platform bed in the master bedroom, a live-edge coffee table in the family room and Emmi’s ladder desk. — Dawn Margolis Denberg, SFChronicle.com, "1895 home is all Victorian eye candy outside and modern efficiency inside," 29 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ladder.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near ladder

Statistics for ladder

Last Updated

2 Feb 2019

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Time Traveler for ladder

The first known use of ladder was before the 12th century

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More Definitions for ladder

ladder

noun

English Language Learners Definition of ladder

: a device used for climbing that has two long pieces of wood, metal, or rope with a series of steps or rungs between them

: a series of steps or stages by which someone moves up to a higher or better position

British : a long hole in a stocking

See the full definition for ladder in the English Language Learners Dictionary

ladder

noun

lad·der | \ ˈla-dər

Kids Definition of ladder

: a device used for climbing usually consisting of two long pieces of wood, rope, or metal joined at short distances by horizontal pieces on which a person may step