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
The film catapulted Sara and her costars — Matthew Broderick, Alan Tuck, and Jennifer Grey — to new echelons of fame.
—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 June 2026
But twists of fate instead sent him on a path full of political highs and lows that included the upper echelons of law and business.
—
Mary Ramsey
updated June 22,
Charlotte Observer,
22 June 2026
When Barack Obama won the presidency in 2008, the new first lady could have easily summoned a design from fashion’s upper echelons for her inaugural gown.
—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
The buzz has reached further into the inner echelons of the music world, too.
—
Selena Fragassi,
SPIN,
10 June 2026
Their proof would become the signature result of Tao’s early career, contributing to his winning the Fields Medal in 2006, and propelling him to the upper echelons of mathematics.
—
Quanta Magazine,
8 June 2026
Cruelty and ruthlessness are deemed just, not only in the highest echelons of politics but also trickling down to daily life.
—
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
There’s often a great deal of hype (some deserved, some not) and vendor promises about transformation and new echelons of efficiency.
—
Eddy Azad,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Pop didn’t seem to fully go all-in on Grande until Sweetener and Thank U, Next catapulted her into the highest echelons of the genre.
—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
20 May 2026
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 June 2026
But twists of fate instead sent him on a path full of political highs and lows that included the upper echelons of law and business.
—
Mary Ramsey
updated June 22,
Charlotte Observer,
22 June 2026
When Barack Obama won the presidency in 2008, the new first lady could have easily summoned a design from fashion’s upper echelons for her inaugural gown.
—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
The buzz has reached further into the inner echelons of the music world, too.
—
Selena Fragassi,
SPIN,
10 June 2026
Their proof would become the signature result of Tao’s early career, contributing to his winning the Fields Medal in 2006, and propelling him to the upper echelons of mathematics.
—
Quanta Magazine,
8 June 2026
Cruelty and ruthlessness are deemed just, not only in the highest echelons of politics but also trickling down to daily life.
—
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
There’s often a great deal of hype (some deserved, some not) and vendor promises about transformation and new echelons of efficiency.
—
Eddy Azad,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Pop didn’t seem to fully go all-in on Grande until Sweetener and Thank U, Next catapulted her into the highest echelons of the genre.
—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
20 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for echelons
Noun
-
Why the Special Olympics airlift exists Travel can be stressful for anybody, but for athletes on their way to competition who also have special accessibility needs, there are additional levels of complication.
-
Analysts have warned that any form of Iranian control could have long-term effects on oil flows through the Strait, as transits may not fully recover to pre-war levels if Tehran retains strategic control of the waterway.
Noun
-
Over the next couple of decades, Saez advanced through the ranks of the bank and played a key role in integrating systems when SunTrust merged with BB&T in 2019 to form Truist Bank.
-
While the ranks of high school and college players are steadily increasing, and ESPN’s buy-in has delivered a boost, the sport hopes to one day have its Mighty Ducks moment.
Noun
-
Terry Collins Republicans have little chance of winning top statewide positions in Colorado, making the June 30 primaries almost the de facto election in the heavily Democratic state.
-
Despite taking cost-saving actions, including a selective hiring freeze for non-uniformed positions, overtime restrictions, spending reductions, and travel suspensions, General Fund expenses still outpace revenue.
Noun
-
Terrell Carstens, a 25-year resident of Brookhaven, said she is frustrated the city made little effort to find places to cut costs instead of raising the rate.
-
Reception is no longer the decorative annex to proper criticism, but one of the places where criticism has to begin.
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.
Cite this Entry
“Echelons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/echelons. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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