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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hierarchy
So there’s the security clearances, there’s the standards of the professional hierarchy, and then there’s the standards of the relationship.
—
Katie Campione, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2025
Gilbertson believes his measurements should change the hierarchy of Crestone summits, and remove one 14er from the list while adding another.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 17 Oct. 2025
Wyeth feels lucky to be chosen by Keating, which creates a hierarchy between them where Wyeth is beneath him, grateful for his attention.
—Tembe Denton-Hurst, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
There is so much to explore in that space between imagination and reality—interacting with a person and with their works, the various hierarchies and hopes.
—Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hierarchy
Katie Campione, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2025
Gilbertson believes his measurements should change the hierarchy of Crestone summits, and remove one 14er from the list while adding another.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 17 Oct. 2025
Wyeth feels lucky to be chosen by Keating, which creates a hierarchy between them where Wyeth is beneath him, grateful for his attention.
—Tembe Denton-Hurst, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
There is so much to explore in that space between imagination and reality—interacting with a person and with their works, the various hierarchies and hopes.
—Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hierarchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hierarchy
Noun
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Two of the thieves wearing yellow vests climbed the ladder to a balcony and used tools to cut through the glass of the window leading to the opulent Galerie d'Apollon - the Apollo Gallery.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
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Brands beat out governments and institutions, reclaiming a higher score in people’s trust ladder, just below relatives and social circles, corner shops and employers.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Here are this week’s rankings, which are not a pure ranking of how good each team is, rather a ranking of the overall feel around the teams, programs and fan bases, the hopes, the dreams, the frustration, the despair … the vibes.—
Seth Emerson,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
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John Rose, chief risk adviser for ALTOUR, a global travel management company, said Anguilla’s ranking stems from several distinct advantages.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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At human scale, static electricity is little more than a curiosity.—
Cody Cottier,
Scientific American,
23 Oct. 2025
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Past experience suggests that this problem will resolve itself at historical scale instead.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hierarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hierarchy. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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