ˈhī-(ə-)ˌrär-kē
as in ladder
a scheme of rank or order
honesty sits at the top of my hierarchy of values
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of hierarchy
In the modern era, professional kitchens are thought to be some of the toughest places to work thanks to a recipe of long hours, close quarters, strict hierarchies, grueling physical conditions and relentless pressure.
—
ABC News, 14 Mar. 2026
Sam at the time was a redshirting walk-on, which on the basketball-player hierarchy is maybe a half-step up from team manager.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026
Archer, shaped by the hierarchies of the Gilded Age, is disoriented by this new egalitarianism.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
Trading McCarthy would leave no murkiness around the hierarchy in the quarterback room.
—Alec Lewis, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hierarchy
ABC News, 14 Mar. 2026
Sam at the time was a redshirting walk-on, which on the basketball-player hierarchy is maybe a half-step up from team manager.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026
Archer, shaped by the hierarchies of the Gilded Age, is disoriented by this new egalitarianism.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
Trading McCarthy would leave no murkiness around the hierarchy in the quarterback room.
—Alec Lewis, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hierarchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hierarchy
Noun
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Walker, an East High School graduate, began performing comedy two decades ago in Denver, quickly moving up the ladder in the alternative and mainstream scenes with his savvy, profane and charming routines that profanely poked fun at his dating habits, among other topics.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
14 Mar. 2026
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As mentioned, there's a second loft in this model, which is reached by a removable wooden ladder.—
Adam Williams
March 14,
New Atlas,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But that counterintuitive ranking, in a state that hasn’t elected a Republican statewide in years, has Democrats in a dither and reform advocates once again saying that California needs to shift to a more representative form of voting.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
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Mauritius, which has among the highest GDP per capita in Africa, was ranked highest on the continent at 73 out of 147 countries, while Nigeria’s ranking fell by one place, and South Africa — which faces youth unemployment at 57% — fell by six places from 2025 to 2026.—
Paige Bruton,
semafor.com,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In December 2024, Colombia began to import gas on a massive scale after being self-sufficient for four decades, with critics saying that Petro had discouraged companies from launching new ventures in Colombia.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Mar. 2026
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However, the government calls these efforts inadequate, questioning Novo Nordisk’s ability to monitor drug safety and oversee its call centers on a broader scale.—
Austin Fast,
USA Today,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hierarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hierarchy. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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