rung

1 of 2

past participle of ring

rung

2 of 2

noun

ˈrəŋ 

1

a

: a rounded crosspiece between the legs of a chair

b

: one of the crosspieces of a ladder

2

Scotland : a heavy staff or cudgel

3

: a spoke of a wheel

4

: a level in a hierarchy

… rise a few rungs on the social scale …

—H. W. Van Loon

Synonyms of rung

Noun

• level
• position
• rank
• echelon
• ranking
• place
• standing

Examples of rung in a Sentence

Noun

He was on the bottom rung on the corporate ladder.

the top rung of society

the lowest rung of the pay scale

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Lean a vintage ladder against a blank wall and fold blankets over each rung. —Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Nov. 2025

The method allows researchers to represent a quantum system as a ladder, with each rung corresponding to a discrete state. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Nov. 2025

Every rung of the ladder, McGinn has been there, at the front, climbing upwards. —Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025

Using what was known about biology at the time and X-ray images, the two determined that DNA had a double-helix structure - like a twisted ladder, with each rung made up of a pair of chemicals. —Reuters, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hrung crossbar; akin to Goth hrunga staff and perhaps to Old English hring ring — more at ring

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing rung

• get/have one's bell rung

Rhymes for rung

• bling
• bung
• clung
• dung
• flung
• fung
• hung
• lung
• slung
• sprung
• strung
• stung

Kids Definition

rung

1 of 2

past participle of ring entry 3

rung

2 of 2 noun

ˈrəŋ 

: a rounded part placed as a crosspiece between the legs of a chair

also : one of the crosspieces of a ladder

Medical Definition

rung

past part of ring