1
as in level
the placement of someone or something in relation to others in a vertical arrangement
the greasy spoon restaurant was several rungs below the kind of establishment in which we usually dined
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in baton
Scottish
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
the watchman usually carried a stout oak rung
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in chimed
to make the clear sound heard when metal vibrates
I didn't hear the doorbell ring
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 rung
Joseph Howlett, Quanta Magazine, 9 Apr. 2025
Skyline Social & Games, which has one location near Duluth, cleared a couple of rungs on the ladder of permits and approvals this week in the hopes of bringing its second location and scores of sports leagues to the Orchard Place shopping center.
—Mars King, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2025
But tax cuts and tariffs have varying effects for different rungs of the socioeconomic ladder.
—Andrew Duehren, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
The next rung of the ladder involves finding distant Cepheids and comparing their intrinsic luminosity (obtained using their periodicity) to their observed luminosity to estimate distances to their host galaxies.
—Anil Ananthaswamy, Scientific American, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rung
Noun
This feels like just the first rung in a very tall ladder.
—Joseph Howlett, Quanta Magazine, 9 Apr. 2025
Skyline Social & Games, which has one location near Duluth, cleared a couple of rungs on the ladder of permits and approvals this week in the hopes of bringing its second location and scores of sports leagues to the Orchard Place shopping center.
—Mars King, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2025
But tax cuts and tariffs have varying effects for different rungs of the socioeconomic ladder.
—Andrew Duehren, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
The next rung of the ladder involves finding distant Cepheids and comparing their intrinsic luminosity (obtained using their periodicity) to their observed luminosity to estimate distances to their host galaxies.
—Anil Ananthaswamy, Scientific American, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rung
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rung
Noun
-
Around 5,000 buildings were destroyed in St. Louis alone, St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer said in a post on X. Buildings and cars were destroyed, homes are missing entire walls and upper levels of houses and buildings are gone, photos of the disaster show.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
-
Pensacola faced the highest sea level rise, at a rate of 3.709 millimeters a year.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 May 2025
Noun
-
Five officers, who are also Black, caught up with him and punched, kicked and hit him with a police baton while trying to handcuff him.—
Jade Walker,
CNN Money,
8 May 2025
-
Mills acknowledged that the officers were afraid and exhausted, but said some of the methods used on Nichols complied with police department policies, including using wrist locks and hitting with a baton.—
Adrian Sainz,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2025
Noun
-
Businesses with strong cash positions gain both defensive protection and offensive capabilities when opportunities arise.—
David Zybin,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
-
The Rafael Devers-Red Sox saga I’ve been surprised by Devers’ reactions every time he’s been asked to change positions.—
Jim Bowden,
New York Times,
14 May 2025
Noun
-
Greer kicked him in the ribs, stomped on his head and picked up Snellings’ cane and hit the victim with it, Hoffman said.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 May 2025
-
Some carried their work briefcases, some American flags, some walked with canes, and others were pushed in wheelchairs…304,000 of them had been wounded in Vietnam.—
Stan Godlewski,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2025
Noun
-
Student Loan Collection Begins On May 5th: What Borrowers Should Know Newsweek Is A Trust Project Member news article 6 The dwindling ranks of first responder volunteers would be boosted if those giving up their time were eligible for student loan forgiveness, according to a Democratic congressman.—
Chloe Mayer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 May 2025
-
According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the name Ocean arrived on the popularity charts in 2020 at a rank of 795.—
Annabelle Canela,
Parents,
12 May 2025
Noun
-
Consistently ducking the expectations of indie’s upper echelons — the ones which the band vaulted into with 2015’s My Love Is Cool — has only further affirmed Wolf Alice’s influence and longevity.—
Sophie Williams,
Billboard,
1 May 2025
-
The top echelon of Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon has dissolved into a circle of mutual recrimination and enmity worthy of a Mexican standoff from a Quentin Tarantino film.—
The Editors,
National Review,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The easy answer is most of the time, but the accurate answer is that out of the 24 roles in this ranking, Pantoliano is evil in 20, neutral in one, and good in three.—
Carrie Wittmer,
Vulture,
19 May 2025
-
It's been well over a decade since Aaliyah last scored a hit on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay tally, which is considered the most competitive radio ranking in those genres.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2025
Noun
-
Jansen would undoubtedly like to retire in third place.—
Jon Vankin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
-
Flood warnings and advisories are also in place along full streams and rivers after heavy rains in April and early May in states including Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
9 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rung.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rung. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share