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

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

The 31-year-old is effectively a replacement for Wojciech Szczesny, who is currently number two in the goalkeeping pecking order behind Spain international Joan Garcia. — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 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