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rung

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Definition of rung

 (Entry 1 of 2)

past participle of ring

rung

noun
\ ˈrəŋ How to pronounce rung (audio) \

Definition of rung (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : 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 More Example Sentences Learn More about rung

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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
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Recent Examples on the Web: Noun With a muffled bang, Paramount Pictures rung in the New Year with the first A Quiet Place Part II trailer, continuing the horror story of the Abbott family and their struggle to survive in a monstrous world. — Nick Romano, EW.com, "Unmute! A Quiet Place 2 trailer sends Emily Blunt into the outside world," 1 Jan. 2020 In 2017, a 5-7 record kept Minnesota home for the holidays, followed by a 6-6 mark and Christmas in Detroit for the lower-rung Quick Lane Bowl a year ago. — Andy Greder, Twin Cities, "Gophers move on to play Auburn in Outback Bowl," 9 Dec. 2019 And Adam’s Universal Tennis Rating was similar to that of the varsity’s bottom rung. — Daniel Golden, ProPublica, "An Unseen Victim of the College Admissions Scandal: The High School Tennis Champion Aced Out by a Billionaire Family," 8 Oct. 2019 San Jose has become the resurgent underdog story of the season, emerging from a bottom-rung finish last season and steadily building throughout this year, peaking at No. 3 in the Western Conference table at the start of August. — Julia Poe, orlandosentinel.com, "Orlando City chases vital points during road match against San Jose Earthquakes," 30 Aug. 2019 At the center of the story are three sort-of friends in varying states of marital accommodation to low-rung mobsters. — Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, "'The Kitchen': Film Review," 7 Aug. 2019 This forces even the most competent second-rung leaders to indulge the fiction that their boss is a vote getter. — Sadanand Dhume, WSJ, "India’s Rahul Gandhi Faces an Electoral Test," 15 Nov. 2018 Many of the players who have left the team since then — such as Kyle Smith, Greg Ranjitsingh, Mark-Anthony Kaye and Cameron Lancaster — did so to join MLS, the highest rung of the American soccer ladder. — Hayes Gardner, The Courier-Journal, "After a disappointing end to Louisville City FC's 2019 season, what's next in 2020?," 19 Nov. 2019 Yet Thunberg’s rise to icon status has also stirred long-standing resentments about how people view the rungs of the spectrum. — Wired, "The Enduring Power of Asperger's, Even as a Non-Diagnosis," 7 Nov. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rung.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of rung

Noun

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

History and Etymology for rung

Noun

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

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Time Traveler for rung

Time Traveler

The first known use of rung was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Rung.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rung. Accessed 17 January 2020.

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More Definitions for rung

rung

noun
How to pronounce rung (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of rung

: a piece of wood or metal that is placed between the legs of a chair for support
: one of the pieces of wood or metal that is used as a step on a ladder
: a position or level within a group, organization, etc., that is higher or lower than others

See the full definition for rung in the English Language Learners Dictionary

rung

\ ˈrəŋ How to pronounce rung (audio) \

Kids Definition of rung

 (Entry 1 of 2)

past participle of ring

rung

noun

Kids Definition of rung (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a rounded part placed as a crosspiece between the legs of a chair
2 : one of the crosspieces of a ladder

rung

Medical Definition of rung

past part of ring

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More from Merriam-Webster on rung

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for rung

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with rung

Spanish Central: Translation of rung

Nglish: Translation of rung for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of rung for Arabic Speakers

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