1
as in is
to take or have a certain position within a group arranged in vertical classes
my favorite pitcher ranks first in the league for number of consecutive outs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in groups
to arrange or assign according to type
most critics would rank him among our best actors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in league
one of the units into which a whole is divided on the basis of a common characteristic
this book will someday join the ranks of the world's great novels
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 ranks
Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
While at Penn State, Trautwein, a former All-SEC performer for the Gators, recruited Miller out of Anna, Texas, as well as Hiller, who hails from Coatesville, Pennsylvania, and ranks as the nation’s top interior line prospect.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Why Waynesville ranks high On the resulting list of readers’ choice award winners, Waynesville was the only place in North Carolina to earn a spot in the top 10.
—Simone Jasper
april 27, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2026
India ranks fourth, followed by Brazil.
—Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 27 Apr. 2026
The film ranks eighth on the global chart.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and backed by Lionsgate, Michael also marks the studio’s strongest debut since the pandemic and ranks among its top six openings of all time.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 27 Apr. 2026
Osasuna has a goal differential of -2 for the season, which ranks eighth in the league.
—Data Skrive, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Sweeney’s scene reportedly featured her being dressed by Blunt’s character, who has risen the fashion ranks to head of Dior’s United States operation.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
The effect of computers on the top ranks of the game has been different but no less profound.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2026
Hecht is a former walk-on who rose up the ranks in a K-State program known for churning out big, mean fellas.
—Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
That cleaned out the upper ranks pretty thoroughly, though Joly is an accomplished pass-catcher.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
There's also a perception that squishy invertebrates — creatures without backbones — weren't formidable enough to join the ranks of top predators.
—CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
Also, 338 new soldiers joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Haiti this week.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
After rising through the district ranks, Fields was given the top job in May 2023.
—Sophia Veneziano, San Antonio Express-News, 24 Apr. 2026
Rival streaming services are also beefing up the ranks of their podcasts.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
The Phillies fired Thomson as the team ranks last or in the bottom part of the league in several statistical categories, like run differential, ERA, batting average and OPS, largely with the same roster as the previous four seasons.
—Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
While at Penn State, Trautwein, a former All-SEC performer for the Gators, recruited Miller out of Anna, Texas, as well as Hiller, who hails from Coatesville, Pennsylvania, and ranks as the nation’s top interior line prospect.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Why Waynesville ranks high On the resulting list of readers’ choice award winners, Waynesville was the only place in North Carolina to earn a spot in the top 10.
—Simone Jasper
april 27, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2026
India ranks fourth, followed by Brazil.
—Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 27 Apr. 2026
The film ranks eighth on the global chart.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and backed by Lionsgate, Michael also marks the studio’s strongest debut since the pandemic and ranks among its top six openings of all time.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 27 Apr. 2026
Osasuna has a goal differential of -2 for the season, which ranks eighth in the league.
—Data Skrive, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Sweeney’s scene reportedly featured her being dressed by Blunt’s character, who has risen the fashion ranks to head of Dior’s United States operation.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
The split decision came after tense deliberations, with jurors initially sent back after one member broke ranks during polling, forcing further discussion before a final verdict was reached.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
The effect of computers on the top ranks of the game has been different but no less profound.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2026
Hecht is a former walk-on who rose up the ranks in a K-State program known for churning out big, mean fellas.
—Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
That cleaned out the upper ranks pretty thoroughly, though Joly is an accomplished pass-catcher.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
There's also a perception that squishy invertebrates — creatures without backbones — weren't formidable enough to join the ranks of top predators.
—CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
Also, 338 new soldiers joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Haiti this week.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
After rising through the district ranks, Fields was given the top job in May 2023.
—Sophia Veneziano, San Antonio Express-News, 24 Apr. 2026
Rival streaming services are also beefing up the ranks of their podcasts.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ranks
Verb
-
There is something wrong with our legal system if cutting prices is a crime.—
Stephen Moore,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
-
At night, there is very little light pollution, with minimal lighting used beyond the glow of the tents, and the property tried its best to operate on a leave no trace mindset, with little construction having taken place beyond the original structure that has sat here for over a century.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Spurs announced about an hour before tipoff Sunday that Wembanyama could play in Game 4 of the team’s first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers after clearing the league’s concussion protocol.—
Anne M. Peterson,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The speed with which some fan confidence in him has eroded was, nevertheless, unprecedented considering no Liverpool manager (or in Slot’s case, head coach) has delivered the league title at the end of their first season since Kenny Dalglish in 1985-86.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His 1-1 draw at Manchester City and 2-1 defeat away to Fulham four days later meant Chelsea slid from fifth to eighth in the Premier League table, two points outside the five Champions League places with almost half of their campaign still to play.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The strategy places it in the upper tier of the mass-market SUV space, where it is expected to combine advanced technology, strong performance, and relatively broader accessibility.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Globally, the International Union for Conservation of Nature also classifies polar bears as vulnerable.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The agency classifies it as a superfund site, meaning the area may be contaminated with hazardous materials.—
Mark Prussin,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Alex Brightman will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical category for Schmigadoon!—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
-
To do this well, consider Gallup’s four primary categories underpinning engagement.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race, one of the highest stakes of the 2026 midterms, as a toss-up.—
Brooke Migdon,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Tucci rates her mastery of the language very highly.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The move relegates longtime Renegades starter Luis Perez to the bench.—
José Sánchez Córdova,
Dallas Morning News,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Robby relegates Langdon to triage for now — there’s less of a chance the two will run into each other that way.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
At one point, my friend was added to a WeChat group that included nearly five hundred foreign actors, many of whom were sharing casting calls to make sure they weren’t being scammed.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The Vikings could target him as an undrafted signing to bolster a defensive backs group that should look far different when the draft concludes.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ranks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ranks. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
