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
More importantly, the Flyers are arguably a few rungs below the Senators team that Carolina had zero trouble with in a sweep.
—
Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 1 May 2026
The finished crochet blankets are on display draped over the rungs of a wooden, antique ladder and are a popular item with customers.
—Sarah Kyrcz, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2026
Some options are considered a great catch, boasting superior benefits, while those high in mercury or contaminants may fall to lower rungs—or should be avoided altogether.
—Randi Gollin, Martha Stewart, 22 Apr. 2026
When there are fewer rungs on the ladder, there are fewer ways to climb—and fewer visible models of what advancement looks like.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026
Wet rungs and soapy hands are a bad combination, so dry your grip frequently.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2026
Those rungs are numbered 0 to 10.
—Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
Coaching licenses typically operate in a tier system, with the bottom rungs allowing people to coach youth soccer.
—Doha Madani, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026
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
Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 1 May 2026
The finished crochet blankets are on display draped over the rungs of a wooden, antique ladder and are a popular item with customers.
—Sarah Kyrcz, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2026
Some options are considered a great catch, boasting superior benefits, while those high in mercury or contaminants may fall to lower rungs—or should be avoided altogether.
—Randi Gollin, Martha Stewart, 22 Apr. 2026
When there are fewer rungs on the ladder, there are fewer ways to climb—and fewer visible models of what advancement looks like.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026
Wet rungs and soapy hands are a bad combination, so dry your grip frequently.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2026
Those rungs are numbered 0 to 10.
—Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
Coaching licenses typically operate in a tier system, with the bottom rungs allowing people to coach youth soccer.
—Doha Madani, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rungs
Noun
-
Long-time Metro Transit police officer Joe Dotseth, who rose through the department’s ranks, became interim police chief when Morales left the department.—
Mara H. Gottfried,
Twin Cities,
4 May 2026
-
Some of the measures were put in place in recent months in the wake of the killing of a top general in December, which sparked a dispute in the top ranks of Russia’s security establishment, the report says.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
4 May 2026
Noun
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Botrytis can also cause large, discolored patches on canes.—
Rita Perwich,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
-
To rejuvenate these shrubs, cut three of the thickest canes all the way back to the ground in spring.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But as online marketplaces widen their delivery network across the country and social media marketing levels the playing field, direct-to-consumer, or D2C, brands are on the rise in India, according to experts.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
7 May 2026
-
These are trade-offs that can be negotiated, at both the local and national levels, to benefit our communities.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
The Marsies who resist arrest are doing so without batons, skull-protecting helmets, and guns containing, technically, nonlethal rounds.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The hospital's public safety officers were trained to use pepper gel, batons, and handcuffs.—
Kristina Rex,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Such an agreement would require battling — and even dismantling — an entrenched and incompetent bureaucracy to speed up economic reforms, and getting rid of old-school historic commanders and everyone else in the government, the Communist Party and the top military echelons standing in the way.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
-
From the upper echelons of global logistics to the cutting edge of industrial energy, this week’s business landscape is defined by transition and rapid scaling.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Kansas Jayhawks football team is undergoing significant change this spring with a new-look roster, fresh coaching arrangements and open competitions at key positions.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
6 May 2026
-
Achane is one of the most explosive skill positions players in the league.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Creator and showrunner Katie Dippold’s fascination with such places began at an early age, growing up in New Jersey, where her family would take trips to the shore.—
Maira Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
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Sites that preserve soft-bodied organisms are even rarer because soft tissues decompose more easily, making these places especially useful for piecing together prehistoric ecosystems.—
Marlowe Starling,
Quanta Magazine,
1 May 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 8 May. 2026.
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