pecking orders

variants also peck orders
Definition of pecking ordersnext
plural of pecking order
as in rankings
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pecking orders From playoff pecking orders to division title tiebreakers to how the NFC South can be won (or lost) in only two games instead of four, Fowler and Kaye break it all down for the Carolina faithful. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 10 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pecking orders
Noun
  • This generational shift is dismantling old hierarchies and exposing where control has been disguised as loyalty, teamwork or social acceptance.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
  • Additionally, this invisible labor can also reproduce racial hierarchies.
    Adia Harvey Wingfield, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Fast food chains may require workers to make diners feel valued and welcome, and certainly many customers see merit in patronizing an establishment where service comes with a smile.
    Adia Harvey Wingfield, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
  • From bunless burgers to cups filled with meat, fast food chains are reshaping their menus as weight-loss drugs and wellness trends change how Americans eat.
    Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 3 Jan. 2026

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“Pecking orders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pecking%20orders. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.

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