hierarchical

adjective

hi·​er·​ar·​chi·​cal ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-ki-kəl 

also hir-ˈär-

variants or hierarchic

ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-kik 

also hir-ˈär-

: of, relating to, or arranged in a hierarchy

a hierarchical society

a hierarchical order in the church

hierarchically

ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-ki-k(ə-)lē 

also hir-ˈär-

adverb

Examples of hierarchical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The hierarchical companies moved faster but struggled more with managerial issues over workplace policies when many of their employees felt their concerns were not heard. — Sebastian Fixson, The Conversation, 21 Sep. 2026

Whereas they have historically been funneled into hierarchical law firms to spend a couple years billing time around the clock for no profit share, there are already countless more ways for young attorneys to leverage their degrees and skills. — Logan Brown, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026

Before Darwin, much biological observation was done according to a taxonomy created by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, which organized species according to the hierarchical order in which they had been created by God. — Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026

Most wildland firefighting crews work in strict hierarchical command structures. — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see hierarchy

First Known Use

1561, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hierarchical

• anti-hierarchical

Rhymes for hierarchical

• anarchical
• monarchical
• oligarchical

Kids Definition

hierarchical

adjective

hi·​er·​ar·​chi·​cal ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-ki-kəl 

variants or hierarchic

-kik 

: of, relating to, or arranged in a hierarchy

hierarchically

-ˈrär-ki-k(ə-)lē 

adverb