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 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 of ladder from the Web
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The upstairs is complete with an additional living area and a built in ladder which leads to a fun, third level loft.
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Foster maintained all of this while climbing up and down a swaying 40-foot ladder.
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Access to the real attic, via a death-defying, rickety ladder, was in the bathroom.
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A fire engine ladder truck and vehicles hoisted American flags over the road.
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Stella passed every test, walking across a ladder without hesitation and burrowing through 5 feet of concrete rubble to retrieve hidden tennis balls.
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Firefighters put ladders up to the building’s fourth floor to help residents escape.
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His father, Louis A. Bunning, owned a ladder factory, according to a biography by the Society for American Baseball Research.
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The Home Depot: Save on appliances, mulch, grills and smokers, fans, ladders, lawn equipment and more.
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.
Origin and Etymology of ladder
Middle English, from Old English hlǣder; akin to Old High German leitara ladder, Old English hlinian to lean — more at lean
LADDER Defined for English Language Learners
ladder
playDefinition of ladder for English Language Learners
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: a device used for climbing that has two long pieces of wood, metal, or rope with a series of steps or rungs between them
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: a series of steps or stages by which someone moves up to a higher or better position
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: a long hole in a stocking
LADDER Defined for Kids
ladder
playDefinition of ladder for Students
: 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
Learn More about ladder
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See words that rhyme with ladder Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for ladder Spanish Central: Translation of ladder Nglish: Translation of ladder for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of ladder for Arabic speakers
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