variants
also peck order
as in hierarchy
the way in which people or things in a group or organization are placed in a series of levels with different importance or status
As an assistant manager, he was pretty low in the company's pecking order.
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Recent Examples of pecking order
On the Republican side, the market has established a pecking order.
—
Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News, 16 Jan. 2026
And the Warriors had established a clear pecking order that could vary game-to-game but largely remained the same.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026
But basketball tops Baker’s pecking order.
—Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026
Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury last spring moved Brown to the top of the team’s pecking order, and Boston has overachieved thus far on his watch, sitting third in the Eastern Conference at 18-11.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pecking order
Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News, 16 Jan. 2026
And the Warriors had established a clear pecking order that could vary game-to-game but largely remained the same.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026
But basketball tops Baker’s pecking order.
—Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026
Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury last spring moved Brown to the top of the team’s pecking order, and Boston has overachieved thus far on his watch, sitting third in the Eastern Conference at 18-11.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pecking order
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pecking order
Noun
-
But talking about identity has ever-shifting rules and hierarchies that amount to bear-traps that can spring at any time.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Would another defeat at Spurs change the hierarchy’s view on his position?—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Jets’ ranking fell from 21st in 2023 to 29th in 2024.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
13 Feb. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Pecking order.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pecking%20order. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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