ˈhī-(ə-)ˌrär-kē
as in ladder
a scheme of rank or order
honesty sits at the top of my hierarchy of values
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hierarchy
For example, dedicated bridge players describe a social world unique to champion-level players that involves hierarchies and relationships spanning decades.
—
Emily Messina, The Conversation, 6 Feb. 2026
From a budget perspective, the Braves may always have a gap between them and the top of the MLB spending hierarchy.
—Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Podcasting has also changed the vocal hierarchy.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
D’Amaro and Walden will inevitably go through a period of adjustment to the new hierarchy.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hierarchy
Emily Messina, The Conversation, 6 Feb. 2026
From a budget perspective, the Braves may always have a gap between them and the top of the MLB spending hierarchy.
—Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Podcasting has also changed the vocal hierarchy.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
D’Amaro and Walden will inevitably go through a period of adjustment to the new hierarchy.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hierarchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hierarchy
Noun
-
But their top receiver, NFL Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, is several rungs on the ladder above Courtland Sutton.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Courtesy Chris Rodgers, a photographer and volunteer firefighter, is seen ascending a ladder from a fire truck.—
CBSColorado.com Staff,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Jets’ ranking fell from 21st in 2023 to 29th in 2024.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The highest ranking of those, Hepp, was accused of not ensuring staff members were properly trained on the prison's policies and procedures – including documenting when a resident's water is turned off and meals are missed.—
Kelli Arseneau,
jsonline.com,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Mass shootings are rare in Canada, a country with much stricter gun laws than the US, and school shootings of this scale are almost unheard of.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The company’s forestry arm has planted more than one billion trees, underscoring a scale of stewardship rarely matched in private ownership.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hierarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hierarchy. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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