variants
also peck order
as in hierarchy
the way in which people or things in a group or organization are placed in a series of levels with different importance or status
As an assistant manager, he was pretty low in the company's pecking order.
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Recent Examples of pecking order
As already detailed, there is an ‘overbooking’ in midfield with regards to Torre, who is way down the pecking order of a list of eight players for three positions which also includes Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi, Marcs Casado and Bernal, Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez.
—
Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
However, the others are ahead of him in the pecking order.
—Simon Johnson, New York Times, 28 May 2025
Watkins has given the start against Newcastle United and offered a reminder of his quality by opening the scoring in a 4-1 win, but the 29-year-old is quite clearly below Rashford in the pecking order at Villa Park right now.
—Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Later in the season, when the flock has broken up and birds have already gone through their pecking order, Drury thinks twice before running a jake.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pecking order
Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
However, the others are ahead of him in the pecking order.
—Simon Johnson, New York Times, 28 May 2025
Watkins has given the start against Newcastle United and offered a reminder of his quality by opening the scoring in a 4-1 win, but the 29-year-old is quite clearly below Rashford in the pecking order at Villa Park right now.
—Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Later in the season, when the flock has broken up and birds have already gone through their pecking order, Drury thinks twice before running a jake.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pecking order
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pecking order
Noun
-
That tells me something about my hierarchy of relationships.—
Merve Emre,
New Yorker,
17 June 2025
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And with a family built on hierarchy, and with her on the way to being queen consort, there was going to be people or bodies left in the street.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2025
Noun
-
Michigan’s class began the day at No. 39 in the composite rankings but has started to pick up steam, particularly on the defensive line.—
Austin Meek,
New York Times,
24 June 2025
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Introducing the 2025 Fortune 500, the definitive ranking of the biggest companies in America.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pecking order.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pecking%20order. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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