as in level
the placement of someone or something in relation to others in a vertical arrangement jobs in the upper echelons of the company pay quite well indeed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of echelon Her site, which grew out of a blog about motherhood and home décor, had become perhaps the most popular chronicler of Kennedy’s rise, offering half a million Substack followers an inside look at the Secretary’s new life in the upper echelons of the American right. Clare Malone, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025 Enninful announced his departure from the upper echelons of Vogue the summer prior to his final issue. Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025 These behemoths are primarily technology firms, which dominate the upper echelons of the index due to their growth in areas like AI, cloud computing, and digital services. Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 12 Sep. 2025 In addition to talented arms such as Luis Perales and Payton Tolle, Early is in the upper echelon of starting pitching prospects in the Red Sox system. Tim Crowley, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for echelon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for echelon
Noun
  • The loft is one of 22 live-work spaces with downstairs levels permitted for retail use.
    Sandra Barrera, Oc Register, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Warmly spiced and cozy as can be, this alcoholic beverage takes any party to the next level.
    Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In 2023, New College was ranked 100 among national liberal arts colleges, and then in 2024 its ranking fell to 122.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2025
  • The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, a list that’s been compiled by a British media company for nearly a quarter-century, has just announced its inaugural ranking of North America’s 50 Best Restaurants.
    Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But overall the goaltending ranks in the league’s bottom three.
    The Athletic NHL, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
  • And as increasingly militant voices in our culture have joined the ranks, the environment has become even more intolerant.
    Amy Stephens, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announced after Sunday's comeback win that Flacco will retain his position as the starter, despite the presence of rookie signal-callers Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders on the roster.
    Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Sep. 2025
  • An English teacher took me aside and drew a rectangle on a piece of paper, placed a shooting arrow on each corner of the rectangle, plus one halfway along the horizontal top line, and a final arrow, in the same position, down below.
    Zadie Smith, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Hard Rock Stadium will host seven games — four in the group stage (June 15, 21, 24, 27), one Round of 32 game (July 3), a quarterfinal (July 11) and the bronze medal third-place game (July 28).
    Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
  • The comforter is also outfitted with convenient corner tabs that keep the duvet securely in place, which is especially handy for people who toss and turn in their sleep.
    Melody Kazel, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Echelon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/echelon. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on echelon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!