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
The other was the rescue of two women who cliffed out on the famous Via Ferrata in Telluride where there are cables and handholds along with iron rungs.
—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
At the Berlin Tennis Open, a WTA 500 event two rungs below a Grand Slam, Williams played with Muchová against Routliffe, who this time partnered with Mexico’s Giuliana Olmos.
—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
The new frame is something closer to depth—roots, not rungs.
—
Jasmine Browley,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Criminals operating at different rungs of the ladder dominate the only real sources of money.
—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
22 May 2026
After high school in Chico, California, Rodgers attended Butte College, a junior college that was multiple rungs lower than major college football.
—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 May 2026
Each was a career politician who spent decades laboriously climbing the government rungs before being elected governor.
—
Los Angeles Times,
10 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
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
At the Berlin Tennis Open, a WTA 500 event two rungs below a Grand Slam, Williams played with Muchová against Routliffe, who this time partnered with Mexico’s Giuliana Olmos.
—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
The new frame is something closer to depth—roots, not rungs.
—
Jasmine Browley,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Criminals operating at different rungs of the ladder dominate the only real sources of money.
—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
22 May 2026
After high school in Chico, California, Rodgers attended Butte College, a junior college that was multiple rungs lower than major college football.
—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 May 2026
Each was a career politician who spent decades laboriously climbing the government rungs before being elected governor.
—
Los Angeles Times,
10 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rungs
Noun
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Over the next couple of decades, Saez advanced through the ranks of the bank and played a key role in integrating systems when SunTrust merged with BB&T in 2019 to form Truist Bank.
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While the ranks of high school and college players are steadily increasing, and ESPN’s buy-in has delivered a boost, the sport hopes to one day have its Mighty Ducks moment.
Noun
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Jung, who is going into his senior year of high school, said SmartBlink can detect pedestrians using wheelchairs, crutches or canes, too.
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Additionally, the researchers did not specify the exact dropout rates or detail how the routine might affect seniors who already relied on assistive devices like walkers or canes.
Noun
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Why the Special Olympics airlift exists Travel can be stressful for anybody, but for athletes on their way to competition who also have special accessibility needs, there are additional levels of complication.
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Analysts have warned that any form of Iranian control could have long-term effects on oil flows through the Strait, as transits may not fully recover to pre-war levels if Tehran retains strategic control of the waterway.
Noun
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No bags, glass or metal water bottles, bats/batons, bicycles or scooters, chairs or coolers will be allowed in the event.
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In all, 1,900 volunteer marshals, most from the East End and equipped with yellow batons, seem to be cherishing their assignments.
Noun
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The film catapulted Sara and her costars — Matthew Broderick, Alan Tuck, and Jennifer Grey — to new echelons of fame.
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But twists of fate instead sent him on a path full of political highs and lows that included the upper echelons of law and business.
Noun
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Terry Collins Republicans have little chance of winning top statewide positions in Colorado, making the June 30 primaries almost the de facto election in the heavily Democratic state.
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Despite taking cost-saving actions, including a selective hiring freeze for non-uniformed positions, overtime restrictions, spending reductions, and travel suspensions, General Fund expenses still outpace revenue.
Noun
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Terrell Carstens, a 25-year resident of Brookhaven, said she is frustrated the city made little effort to find places to cut costs instead of raising the rate.
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Reception is no longer the decorative annex to proper criticism, but one of the places where criticism has to begin.
Noun
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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.
Cite this Entry
“Rungs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rungs. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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