echelon

noun

ˈe-shə-ˌlän How to pronounce echelon (audio)
Definition of echelonnext
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

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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 Jocelyn Bioh is entering the upper echelon of contemporary playwrights, after her current Broadway play, School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play, opened on September 28 to raves. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026 That period also provided the foundations for where City currently sits within the top echelons of world soccer – having won the UEFA Champions League back in 2023 and winning four consecutive Premier Leagues from 2021 to 2024. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026 Yet the very top echelon remains for the most part impenetrable. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026 Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong’s combination of incredible speed and power has put him among the upper echelon of elite multitool players in Major League Baseball history. — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for echelon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for echelon
  1. level
  2. ranking
  3. rank
  4. position
  5. place
Noun
  • Many of the office’s attorneys, particularly in its misdemeanor corps, work with basement-level spirits, according to one of the sources.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Those with high levels of hope had better later outcomes in health, education and employment.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of level
Noun
  • Huang is just behind Zuckerberg in Forbes' billionaire ranking, with a net worth of $185 billion.
    — Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The Neapolitan style pizzeria is ranked in Italy’s ranking for top 50 pizzas in the world.
    — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of ranking
Noun
  • This season is really no different, with many teams filling the top ranks in the nation.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The Horned Frogs rank last in sacks allowed, while West Virginia ranks fourth in the Big 12 in sacks.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of rank
Noun
  • An analyst with a position on an outcome has an interest in that outcome.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The expectations around Austin are to put themselves in a position that could lead to a postseason run.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of position
Noun
  • The places where Baltzor typically ranges her cattle in the mountains were ravaged by record-size wildfires this summer, robbing them of the grass the herds usually eat.
    — Anna King, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
  • While some protests have been banned for security reasons in several cities, including Lyon, Nice and Montpellier, marches are expected in many other places including in Paris and Marseille.
    — ELITSA GADEVA, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of place

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echelon
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Cite this Entry

“Echelon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/echelon. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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