1
as in ranks
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
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2
as in canes
Scottish
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
the watchman usually carried a stout oak rung
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rungs
That success forces rival companies to pursue their own breakthroughs and climb up to higher rungs — or get left behind.
—
David J. Kappos, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
This fascinating début memoir recounts its author’s career on the lower rungs of China’s consumer economy.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
The first rungs on Edmundson’s career ladder included unglamorous hotel-operations jobs.
—Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 22 Dec. 2025
These heavier pieces should be laid flat to dry or draped carefully over the rungs of a drying rack.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 19 Dec. 2025
Those rungs are made up of pairs of four different chemical building blocks, called bases — adenine, thymine, cytosine and guanine (A,T,C and G).
—F.d. Flam, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
At the lowest rungs, immigrants make up a higher percentage of trades such as plasterers and stucco masons, drywall and ceiling tile installers, roofers, painters and flooring installers, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 6 Nov. 2025
The book zeros in on the lower rungs of the masthead, and the way underpaid entry level staffers fueled the machine that shaped our culture, from fashion to fitness to home décor.
—New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Over the decades, these paths were reinforced with metal rungs, and today they’re used for sport.
—Jen Murphy, Outside, 8 Oct. 2025
David J. Kappos, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
This fascinating début memoir recounts its author’s career on the lower rungs of China’s consumer economy.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
The first rungs on Edmundson’s career ladder included unglamorous hotel-operations jobs.
—Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 22 Dec. 2025
These heavier pieces should be laid flat to dry or draped carefully over the rungs of a drying rack.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 19 Dec. 2025
Those rungs are made up of pairs of four different chemical building blocks, called bases — adenine, thymine, cytosine and guanine (A,T,C and G).
—F.d. Flam, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
At the lowest rungs, immigrants make up a higher percentage of trades such as plasterers and stucco masons, drywall and ceiling tile installers, roofers, painters and flooring installers, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 6 Nov. 2025
The book zeros in on the lower rungs of the masthead, and the way underpaid entry level staffers fueled the machine that shaped our culture, from fashion to fitness to home décor.
—New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Over the decades, these paths were reinforced with metal rungs, and today they’re used for sport.
—Jen Murphy, Outside, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rungs
Noun
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That's not to mention the lower ranks where teams like James Madison or Tulane might find their way into the 12-team field, only to get obliterated in the playoff and lose their coaches and half their players to Power Five schools along the way.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
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On Tuesday, Cuba released their names, ranks and ages.—
Greg Norman-Diamond,
FOXNews.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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To rejuvenate an older plant, cut 50 to 75% of the oldest, thickest canes back to the ground to allow for new shoots to develop.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Dec. 2025
-
Wait until mid-to-late November to remove dead or diseased canes and reduce the overall size of the rose plant.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
27 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The blackout slashed internet access to a fraction of normal levels on the 13th day of the protests as rights groups, including Amensty International, accused the regime of using lethal force against protesters.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
11 Jan. 2026
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What's more, this door alarm features three sensitivity levels and emits a loud, shrill sound that will instantly scare an intruder away.—
Stephanie Gray,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In protest, hundreds of thousands of Iranians went into the streets and were confronted by security forces with batons and shotguns.—
Karl Vick,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Anti-riot police officers, wearing helmets and body armor, carried batons, shields, shotguns and tear gas launchers, according to the witnesses.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Abughazaleh has risen to the upper echelons of fundraisers, in part due to a massive social media audience.—
Olivia Olander,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
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The most plausible entrant may be a late-season episode of Strictly Come Dancing, which could creep into the lower echelons of the top 10.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The lawsuit alleges that for more than a decade, beginning at least as early as January 2015, Pepsi and Walmart used their dominant positions in the beverage and grocery markets to suppress price competition.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
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Hi Lab positions HyDee as a response to those challenges by eliminating charging delays associated with battery systems.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The tense encounters are happening at places like Target, Walmart and other private businesses.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
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This '90s sci-fi show dispatched a quartet of mismatched adventurers on a long-running series of adventures across parallel Earths — places where the Soviet Union rules the United States, or the Golden Gate Bridge is blue rather than orange.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rungs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rungs. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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