: having a high position: such as
a
: of the highest rank
the ranking officer
b
: being next to the chairman 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
Steve Inskeep, NPR, 19 June 2025
Ragusa is the highest ranking female member of the fire department in uniform.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2025
Austin Meek, New York Times, 24 June 2025
Introducing the 2025 Fortune 500, the definitive ranking of the biggest companies in America.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ranking
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Adjective
The ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee told Morning Edition that there are too many unknowns that could put American troops in harm's way.
—Steve Inskeep, NPR, 19 June 2025
Ragusa is the highest ranking female member of the fire department in uniform.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2025
Noun
Michigan’s class began the day at No. 39 in the composite rankings but has started to pick up steam, particularly on the defensive line.
—Austin Meek, New York Times, 24 June 2025
Introducing the 2025 Fortune 500, the definitive ranking of the biggest companies in America.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 23 June 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 30 Jun. 2025.
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