as in levels
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
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Recent Examples of echelons
Years in the making At the center of the prosecution is a sweeping federal indictment that paints a stark picture of Venezuela’s upper echelons of power, alleging that for more than two decades the country’s leadership turned the machinery of the state into a vehicle for narcotics trafficking.
—
Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
Since the war began, monitors estimate that up to a third of strikes have targeted the top echelons and major bases of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and its Basij volunteers tasked with enforcing loyalty to Iran’s theocratic rulers.
—Sarah El Deeb, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
At the same time, China’s appetite for conflict has likely been dampened by struggles to support its slowing domestic economy, as well as a string of dismissals in the top echelons of its own military.
—Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
The Israeli government announced its forces killed Iran's security chief, Ali Larijani, in strikes on March 17, eliminating one of the country's most powerful political figures who once pushed for a nuclear peace deal and spent decades in the upper echelons of the Islamic Republic.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
But, with Xi Jinping’s endorsement of the classics, Liu’s Straussian ideas have percolated into the upper echelons of the Party.
—Chang Che, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
The show follows Wiig’s wannabe patrician Maxine Dellacorte-Simmons, who is hell-bent on becoming the belle of 1960’s Palm Beach by elbowing her way into the upper echelons of Florida’s most exclusive beach club, the Palm Royale.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 3 Mar. 2026
Since 1992, when the first of Hoshoryu’s countrymen began competing, there have been more than seventy Mongolian rikishi, many of whom have dominated sumo’s upper echelons.
—Joshua Hunt, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Bankman-Fried was a longtime supporter of progressive causes and is the son of two Stanford law professors who carried considerable influence in the upper echelons of the Democratic Party.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026
Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
Since the war began, monitors estimate that up to a third of strikes have targeted the top echelons and major bases of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and its Basij volunteers tasked with enforcing loyalty to Iran’s theocratic rulers.
—Sarah El Deeb, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
At the same time, China’s appetite for conflict has likely been dampened by struggles to support its slowing domestic economy, as well as a string of dismissals in the top echelons of its own military.
—Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
The Israeli government announced its forces killed Iran's security chief, Ali Larijani, in strikes on March 17, eliminating one of the country's most powerful political figures who once pushed for a nuclear peace deal and spent decades in the upper echelons of the Islamic Republic.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
But, with Xi Jinping’s endorsement of the classics, Liu’s Straussian ideas have percolated into the upper echelons of the Party.
—Chang Che, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
The show follows Wiig’s wannabe patrician Maxine Dellacorte-Simmons, who is hell-bent on becoming the belle of 1960’s Palm Beach by elbowing her way into the upper echelons of Florida’s most exclusive beach club, the Palm Royale.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 3 Mar. 2026
Since 1992, when the first of Hoshoryu’s countrymen began competing, there have been more than seventy Mongolian rikishi, many of whom have dominated sumo’s upper echelons.
—Joshua Hunt, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Bankman-Fried was a longtime supporter of progressive causes and is the son of two Stanford law professors who carried considerable influence in the upper echelons of the Democratic Party.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for echelons
Noun
-
While the total number of people coming to the region is greater than most other places, the rate of growth for the Charlotte region also ranks in the upper levels.—
John Marks,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Thousands are now not showing up for work, hundreds have quit altogether, and the average wait time at airports has reached record levels.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
With several new dramas in the offing, Motive has bolstered its ranks.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Makena Cook, an Orange Lutheran High junior quarterback who came through the ranks with the Conquer club team, made history in January as the first female athlete to receive a Power Four flag football scholarship offer from the University of Nebraska.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The prosecutor said that Abril, during the 911 call, instructed Patricia MacEgan to order law enforcement officials to back up from their positions and to move aerial drones that were monitoring Abril’s location.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
-
He's started to stabilize the leadership team, converting some center directors in acting positions to permanent roles, and has greenlit contracts and conference plans that had been on hold for months.—
Pien Huang,
NPR,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Many private equity and hedge funds are domiciled in places like Bermuda or the Cayman Islands, jurisdictions known for levying little or no taxes at the fund level.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2026
-
There are nearby fishing villages that are definitely worth visiting, but no other places to stay within a 30-minute drive.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Texas dominated many national rankings in the report as well, with the ZIP code encompassing the Dallas suburb of Crandall ranking second on the list and a more urban Dallas ZIP code ranking 10th.—
Faith Bugenhagen,
Austin American Statesman,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Echelons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/echelons. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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