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
Two tracks that have already landed in loftier positions return in the lowest rungs.
—
Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
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
Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
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
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
-
On Tuesday, Cuba released their names, ranks and ages.—
Greg Norman-Diamond,
FOXNews.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Plants should bloom more reliably and rose canes will thicken as their roots establish.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
10 Jan. 2026
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Students at the center learn how to travel independently using canes and public transportation, cook and clean safely, use adaptive technology like screen readers and voiceover software, read Braille, and prepare for employment.—
Tori Mason,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Large and textured buttons on the headphones offer tactile control of the volume levels and also function as a power switch and taking incoming calls from a smartphone.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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These odors are often exacerbated by high moisture levels from the sinks, showers, tubs, not to mention what gets flushed down our drains.—
Kate Van Pelt,
The Spruce,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Or to Martin Luther King, whose birthday America will (largely pretend) to honor next week, and everyone who marched with him while facing down hoses and dogs and the batons of cops.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
-
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
Noun
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This move seemingly kicked off a chain reaction across the upper echelons of luxury brands.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
20 Jan. 2026
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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
Noun
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The company also reported one of its strongest liquidity positions ever, with cash and restricted cash balances reaching historic highs in quarters like Q1 2025, alongside persistent strength in working capital.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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The Washington Examiner reported in October that DHS was planning to move lower-ranking Border Patrol agents to leadership positions at ICE.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
22 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 24 Jan. 2026.
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