ranking

1 of 2

adjective

rank·​ing ˈraŋ-kiŋ 

: 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

ranking

2 of 2

noun

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

… 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

Playing primarily in regional events, she earned a ranking of No. 151, high enough to make the qualifying field at Roland Garros.

—L. Jon Wertheim

… he had the lowest interception rate and the highest ranking of any NFL quarterback …

—Paul Zimmerman

Synonyms of ranking

Noun

• hierarchy
• ladder
• scale

Examples 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

Adjective

How ranking, verification and grading stay insulated from its own runtime business is an open question. — Janakiram Msv, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Crete’s Elafonissi Beach topped Europe in a new global ranking thanks to its rare blush-colored sand, shallow lagoon, and remarkably clear water. — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 11 Aug. 2026

Noun

The Meta rankings return the same four names, and UFC 331 is the contrast. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026

Hawley and Durbin are the chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 13 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1847, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1836, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ranking

• high-ranking
• low-ranking
• top-ranking

Rhymes for ranking

• banking
• blanking
• clanking
• cranking
• flanking
• franking
• planking
• spanking
• thanking
• yanking
• nonbanking