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

Endo is the sixth choice midfielder and someone who never moans about his place in the pecking order. — James Pearce, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

But the rest of the pecking order provides depth, and the early indication is that each running back on the chart will get his opportunities. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026

Regardless of party, the vice president and their spouse usually share an instinct for their place in the political pecking order. — Kate Andersen Brower, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026

Listing agent Kendra Bishop of The Bishop Real Estate Group doesn’t hesitate when asked where this home sits in the elite neighborhood’s pecking order. — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2026