plural ladders
1
: a device used for climbing that has two long pieces of wood, metal, or rope with a series of steps or rungs between them
climb a ladder
2
: a series of steps or stages by which someone moves up to a higher or better position
He was moving up the corporate ladder.
climbing the social ladder
She worked her way up from the lowest rung on the economic ladder.
3
British
: a long hole in a stocking : run
She got/had a ladder in her stocking.
Cite this Entry
“Ladder.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/ladder. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
Copy Citation
