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
Rodrigo also fills the three rungs just beneath the top 10, and every song featured on her new full-length immediately becomes a global smash.
—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
The engineer’s caste was Dalit, considered to be on the lower rungs of society, which allegedly made the engineer a target for harassment and discrimination from higher-caste managers.
—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
28 June 2026
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
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
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
The engineer’s caste was Dalit, considered to be on the lower rungs of society, which allegedly made the engineer a target for harassment and discrimination from higher-caste managers.
—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
28 June 2026
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
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
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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Snappers, snakes, toy pistols with caps and toy canes with caps are the only fireworks allowed.
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Then, the hydrangea grows new canes while the first round is blooming.
Noun
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In another recent study on the impact of AI on jobs, the California AI-unemployment tracker examined the state across industries, education levels and region and highlighted some worrying trends.
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Historic heat Since Thursday, heat in the East has broken at least three dozen daily high temperature records, many warmest-low-temperature records as heat reached levels that some cities haven’t experienced in more than a decade.
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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Epstein has a long record in the upper echelons of conservative legal circles.
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The film catapulted Sara and her costars — Matthew Broderick, Alan Tuck, and Jennifer Grey — to new echelons of fame.
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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For a safer outdoor work environment, follow the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)'s guidance by scheduling regular rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned places.
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This could include sniffing around more than usual or barking and growling at odd places like piles of leaves.
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 7 Jul. 2026.
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