as in ladders
a scheme of rank or order
honesty sits at the top of my hierarchy of values
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Recent Examples of hierarchies
Like all architecture, his buildings depended on heterogeneity—joints, interfaces, hierarchies, and the coordination of many materials, trades, and systems.
—
Julian Rose, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
The idea of purity — whether in food, body or belief — often masks hierarchies of power.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
In most cases, the natural tendency to organize large teams into smaller groups wins out, and flat teams end up establishing makeshift hierarchies in the absence of formal ones.
—Claire Zillman, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
In the modern era, professional kitchens are thought to be some of the toughest places to work thanks to a recipe of long hours, close quarters, strict hierarchies, grueling physical conditions and relentless pressure.
—ABC News, 14 Mar. 2026
Archer, shaped by the hierarchies of the Gilded Age, is disoriented by this new egalitarianism.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
And so this idea of no hierarchies—that was the idea.
—Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 6 Mar. 2026
That includes a president, a parliament and varying governmental, military and religious hierarchies, noted Paul Salem, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
And Atget was a man who didn’t believe in hierarchies of visual experience, who stood for a long time in front of what others might call nothing, seeing everything.
—Hilton Als, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Julian Rose, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
The idea of purity — whether in food, body or belief — often masks hierarchies of power.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
In most cases, the natural tendency to organize large teams into smaller groups wins out, and flat teams end up establishing makeshift hierarchies in the absence of formal ones.
—Claire Zillman, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
In the modern era, professional kitchens are thought to be some of the toughest places to work thanks to a recipe of long hours, close quarters, strict hierarchies, grueling physical conditions and relentless pressure.
—ABC News, 14 Mar. 2026
Archer, shaped by the hierarchies of the Gilded Age, is disoriented by this new egalitarianism.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
And so this idea of no hierarchies—that was the idea.
—Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 6 Mar. 2026
That includes a president, a parliament and varying governmental, military and religious hierarchies, noted Paul Salem, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
And Atget was a man who didn’t believe in hierarchies of visual experience, who stood for a long time in front of what others might call nothing, seeing everything.
—Hilton Als, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hierarchies
Noun
-
For pre-retirees evaluating approaches like bond ladders, bucket strategies, or annuities, this framework is a reminder that no single product or asset class is a silver bullet.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Ana Feliz Video obtained by CBS News New York shows firefighters climbing out the window and down ladders.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
27 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
Noun
-
The assumption, based on classical economic theory, was that as women earned more, the domestic scales would naturally balance out.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Occasional outbreaks of scales may occur.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Writer Sarah Quintrell adapted the series from Janice Hadlow’s bestselling novel of the same name.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
-
With Wednesday’s win in Miami, the Celtics have now won 17 of their least 20 games against the Heat (including the 2024 first-round playoff series between the two teams that Boston won 4-1).—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hierarchies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hierarchies. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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