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
Adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine are the four bases of the genetic code that make up the rungs of the double helix structure of DNA by forming specific pairs (adenine pairs with thymine, guanine with cytosine).
—
Robert Lea, Space.com, 17 Mar. 2026
For Sid, however, this sudden access to higher social rungs is a unique and complicated opportunity.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
The assurance of being yourself and being liked, fulfilling your purpose while climbing life’s rungs, has obvious appeal in youth, before compromises and obligations start to pile too high.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026
Whispers of their actions reached the highest rungs at Elliman, according to multiple people who worked for the company.
—James D. Walsh, Curbed, 10 Mar. 2026
The Dubai Tennis Championships is an ATP 500 event, a couple of rungs down from the Grand Slams.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026
The rungs were slippery with rain, and the bridge wobbled sickeningly with each step.
—Robert Moor, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
The Marco Polo cockpit also rises several rungs above the Jules Verne, though those that prefer a simpler analog environment will probably like the latter better.
—New Atlas, 25 Feb. 2026
For wood surfaces and antiques, break out a microfiber cloth—and don't forget about your windowsills, shower rungs, and shelves.
—Nashia Baker, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
Robert Lea, Space.com, 17 Mar. 2026
For Sid, however, this sudden access to higher social rungs is a unique and complicated opportunity.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
The assurance of being yourself and being liked, fulfilling your purpose while climbing life’s rungs, has obvious appeal in youth, before compromises and obligations start to pile too high.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026
Whispers of their actions reached the highest rungs at Elliman, according to multiple people who worked for the company.
—James D. Walsh, Curbed, 10 Mar. 2026
The Dubai Tennis Championships is an ATP 500 event, a couple of rungs down from the Grand Slams.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026
The rungs were slippery with rain, and the bridge wobbled sickeningly with each step.
—Robert Moor, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
The Marco Polo cockpit also rises several rungs above the Jules Verne, though those that prefer a simpler analog environment will probably like the latter better.
—New Atlas, 25 Feb. 2026
For wood surfaces and antiques, break out a microfiber cloth—and don't forget about your windowsills, shower rungs, and shelves.
—Nashia Baker, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rungs
Noun
-
With several new dramas in the offing, Motive has bolstered its ranks.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Makena Cook, an Orange Lutheran High junior quarterback who came through the ranks with the Conquer club team, made history in January as the first female athlete to receive a Power Four flag football scholarship offer from the University of Nebraska.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This will help the remaining canes and new stems have the room to grow more easily.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Repeating this cycle helps replace older canes with new, stronger growth.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Their extended range enables comprehensive mapping of vast territories, tracking snow levels to predict floods or hydroelectric output, and keeping a watchful eye on natural hazards such as landslides and avalanches.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Mar. 2026
-
The exec pointed to the enormous amounts of new media being created at low and high levels every day and suggested that only AI could keep up with making sense of it all.—
Andrew Flanagan,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The video shows officers used Tasers again and struck him with batons, but Runyen in the video said both were ineffective.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Right, Rodney King was batons, Eric Garner with a chokehold.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Years in the making At the center of the prosecution is a sweeping federal indictment that paints a stark picture of Venezuela’s upper echelons of power, alleging that for more than two decades the country’s leadership turned the machinery of the state into a vehicle for narcotics trafficking.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Since the war began, monitors estimate that up to a third of strikes have targeted the top echelons and major bases of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and its Basij volunteers tasked with enforcing loyalty to Iran’s theocratic rulers.—
Sarah el Deeb,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Sovern and his wife Liz, who both hold multiple positions at the school, will stay through the end of the academic year before following through with plans to relocate to Arizona.—
Rick Armstrong,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Most vessels appear to be holding positions outside Hormuz, with thousands of seafarers stranded aboard vessels in the Gulf.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Pilgrims have long journeyed here and to and other nearby sites to see and touch places associated with Jesus’ life.—
Sarah Kozlowski,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Mar. 2026
-
In places like the Colorado Front Range, home to the majority of that state’s population, snowpack serves as the largest source of water.—
Mira Rojanasakul,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Texas dominated many national rankings in the report as well, with the ZIP code encompassing the Dallas suburb of Crandall ranking second on the list and a more urban Dallas ZIP code ranking 10th.—
Faith Bugenhagen,
Austin American Statesman,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rungs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rungs. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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