ˈhī-(ə-)ˌrär-kē
as in ladder
a scheme of rank or order
honesty sits at the top of my hierarchy of values
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Recent Examples of hierarchy
Under the Islamic Republic, clerics stand atop the hierarchy, drawing the lines to which the civilian government, the military and the intelligence and security establishment must submit.
—
Lee Keath, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2026
In Iran's hierarchy, Khamenei had no one to answer to but God.
—Margaret Brennan, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Under the Islamic Republic, clerics stand atop the hierarchy, drawing the lines to which the civilian government, the military and the intelligence and security establishment must submit.
—Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026
Khamenei, recently returned from a trip to North Korea and China, was only a junior cleric in a Shi’ite tradition noted for its adherence to hierarchy.
—Karl Vick, Time, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hierarchy
Lee Keath, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2026
In Iran's hierarchy, Khamenei had no one to answer to but God.
—Margaret Brennan, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Under the Islamic Republic, clerics stand atop the hierarchy, drawing the lines to which the civilian government, the military and the intelligence and security establishment must submit.
—Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026
Khamenei, recently returned from a trip to North Korea and China, was only a junior cleric in a Shi’ite tradition noted for its adherence to hierarchy.
—Karl Vick, Time, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hierarchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hierarchy
Noun
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The bottom rung of the corporate ladder is already burning; entry-level opportunities have been stagnating or declining across most employers, leaving young fresh-faced talent out in the cold.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Sarah holds the child a moment, then sends her to the pool ladder.—
Gerald Witt,
AJC.com,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Each writer’s personal ranking will appear in parentheses next to their name.—
Johnny Flores Jr,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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In banked slalom, athletes get two individual runs down the course with their best time counting toward the final ranking.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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William Tang and Choongseok Chang are using Aurora to simulate plasma flow, edge physics, and reactor-scale challenges tied to ITER, the international fusion project under construction in France.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Mar. 2026
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Musical theater being more of a niche than pop, the Webber shows didn’t produce stars on the scale of American Idol’s Kelly Clarkson or The X Factor’s Leona Lewis.—
Isobel Lewis,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hierarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hierarchy. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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