Synonyms of pecking order

pecking order

noun

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.

Related Words

• hierarchy
• ranking
• food chain
• ladder
• standing
• scale
• graduation
• distribution
• series
• disposal
• level
• sequence
• setup
• ordering
• arrangement
• situation
• status
• disposition
• degree
• array
• position
• station
• spot
• reaches
• place
• footing
• echelon
• rung

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of pecking order

Fascinating and fraught internal team dynamics then played out, as Visma’s supposed two leaders, Vingegaard and Primož Roglič, initially struggled to adapt to Kuss being above them in the pecking order. — Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

There’s a chance this doesn’t resolve at all until next spring or beyond, leaving two major Hollywood studios’ workforces, at just about every level of the pecking order, in limbo, wondering whether they’ll be canned in a few months. — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026

For many, the refusal to acknowledge any kind of pecking order will feel fresh, fun, validating and/or thought-provoking. — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026

The Trojans, the lone ranked squad in the US LBM Coaches Poll to take the field in Week 0, look to improve on a 9-4 campaign and move up the pecking order in a top-heavy Big Ten. — Eddie Timanus, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026