: having a high position: such as
a
: of the highest rank
the ranking officer
b
: being next to the chairperson in seniority
ranking committee member
plural rankings
: position, order, or standing within a group : rank
The figures, compiled from federal surveys and a tourism research concern, earned New York City a second-place ranking nationwide as a destination for United States travelers, pushing Las Vegas down to the No. 3 spot.—
Eric Lipton
Eric Lipton… if a site is linked to by sites of high quality and popularity, those links can raise the ranking of the first site.—Elizabeth Stone
Elizabeth StonePlaying primarily in regional events, she earned a ranking of No. 151, high enough to make the qualifying field at Roland Garros.—L. Jon Wertheim
L. Jon Wertheim… he had the lowest interception rate and the highest ranking of any NFL quarterback …—Paul Zimmerman
Paul ZimmermanExamples of ranking in a Sentence
Adjective
Who is the ranking officer here?
the country's ranking law school
Noun
in one ranking of the best places to live, San Francisco surpassed all the other cities in the U.S.
the President's ranking in the polls is at its highest level since he took office
Recent Examples on the Web
Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 18 Nov. 2025
Click here to hear what’s new in Saudi Arabia—and why its hospitals are claiming more spots on our World’s Best Smart Hospitals ranking.
—Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 24 Nov. 2025
Their design and engagement metrics and algorithmic ranking are the new invisible hand of information.
—Richard Stengel, Time, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ranking
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Adjective
Apple, which has an outsized place in the podcast ecosystem, released the top 10 ranking and several related lists on Tuesday.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 18 Nov. 2025
Click here to hear what’s new in Saudi Arabia—and why its hospitals are claiming more spots on our World’s Best Smart Hospitals ranking.
—Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
Noun
Where to Stay Asaya Spa, Rosewood Hong Kong Ranked number one on this year’s World’s 50 Best Hotels ranking, Rosewood Hong Kong’s wellness offering, Asaya Spa, is the place for relaxing the body and mind amid the hustle and bustle of Tsim Sha Tsui.
—Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 24 Nov. 2025
Their design and engagement metrics and algorithmic ranking are the new invisible hand of information.
—Richard Stengel, Time, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ranking
Cite this Entry
“Ranking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ranking. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
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