as in hierarchies
a scheme of rank or order
their team placed third on the tournament ladder
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Recent Examples of ladders
The man the woman was with exited the pond on his own, but firefighters used ropes and ladders to pull him up to the street as the embankment was steep and icy.
—
Timia Cobb
breaking News Reporter, Dallas Morning News, 26 Jan. 2026
In that fire, approximately 30 people were rescued by ladders or dragged out by firefighters.
—Steven Martinez, jsonline.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Indeed, unless there is some inexplicable policy goal to get Americans to buy ladders, hammers, toilet seats, piles of bricks, washers, dryers, and garage doors online instead of at neighborhood stores, there is no reason why retailers need to become ground zero.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026
Several people were trapped near second-floor windows, the release said, and one resident jumped into the arms of an Aurora police officer before ladders were placed.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
Crews immediately shifted to rescue mode, using both ground ladders and aerial ladders to reach people trapped above the fire.
—Cbs News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
No state builds more ladders to success or sees around more corners.
—Sacramento Bee Staff, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Plus, removing sea lions from this delicate system may simply allow another predator to swoop in, including the many birds and other fish that also prey on salmon working their way through ladders.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
That’s allowed for more space for fire ladders, ambulances and engines — including the first electric engine in the state — to keep up with increasing call volume.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026
Timia Cobb
breaking News Reporter, Dallas Morning News, 26 Jan. 2026
In that fire, approximately 30 people were rescued by ladders or dragged out by firefighters.
—Steven Martinez, jsonline.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Indeed, unless there is some inexplicable policy goal to get Americans to buy ladders, hammers, toilet seats, piles of bricks, washers, dryers, and garage doors online instead of at neighborhood stores, there is no reason why retailers need to become ground zero.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026
Several people were trapped near second-floor windows, the release said, and one resident jumped into the arms of an Aurora police officer before ladders were placed.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
Crews immediately shifted to rescue mode, using both ground ladders and aerial ladders to reach people trapped above the fire.
—Cbs News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
No state builds more ladders to success or sees around more corners.
—Sacramento Bee Staff, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Plus, removing sea lions from this delicate system may simply allow another predator to swoop in, including the many birds and other fish that also prey on salmon working their way through ladders.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
That’s allowed for more space for fire ladders, ambulances and engines — including the first electric engine in the state — to keep up with increasing call volume.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ladders
Noun
-
By calling itself an institute, the artist-run organization adopts the traditional markers of academic power while collapsing the hierarchies of collegiate critical theory and interdisciplinary studies programs.—
Catherine Taft,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Working with the remnants of the Iranian regime would be much more complex, given the Tehran government’s longevity, ideological hostility toward Washington, and hierarchies.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
On LinkedIn, company leadership has shared updates about partnerships aimed at improving compliance and user onboarding, reflecting efforts to strengthen infrastructure and regulatory controls as the platform scales.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
1 Feb. 2026
-
A couple of years ago, darker washes were vying for the top spot as the most popular jeans, but in 2026 the scales have tipped the other way.—
Marilú Almaguer,
Glamour,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For his first concert residency, which wrapped in September, Bad Bunny passed on the Las Vegas Strip and opted for a 31-date series in his native Puerto Rico.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Call to Earth is a CNN editorial series committed to reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet, together with the solutions.—
Charlotte Reck,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ladders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ladders. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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