pecking order

noun

variants or less commonly peck order
Synonyms of pecking ordernext
1
: the basic pattern of social organization within a flock of poultry in which each bird pecks another lower in the scale without fear of retaliation and submits to pecking by one of higher rank
broadly : a dominance hierarchy in a group of social animals
2
: a social hierarchy

Examples of pecking order in a Sentence

As an assistant manager, he was pretty low in the company's pecking order. the pecking order of Washington politics
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the rest of the pecking order provides depth, and the early indication is that each running back on the chart will get his opportunities. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026 No other position on a Denver defense loaded with talent and experience enters the season with more uncertainty about the pecking order than this one. — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026 Regardless of party, the vice president and their spouse usually share an instinct for their place in the political pecking order. — Kate Andersen Brower, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026 Listing agent Kendra Bishop of The Bishop Real Estate Group doesn’t hesitate when asked where this home sits in the elite neighborhood’s pecking order. — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pecking order

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pecking order was in 1927

Rhymes for pecking order

See All Rhymes for pecking order

Browse Nearby Words

peckiness
pecking order
peckish
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pecking order.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pecking%20order. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pecking order

noun
variants also peck order
1
: a basic pattern of social organization within a flock of poultry in which each bird pecks another lower in the scale without being pecked in return and allows pecking by one of higher rank
2
: a social order with ranks or classes

Medical Definition

pecking order

noun
peck·​ing order ˈpek-iŋ-ˌ How to pronounce pecking order (audio)
variants also peck order
ˈpek-ˌ How to pronounce pecking order (audio)
: the basic pattern of social organization within a flock of poultry in which each bird pecks another lower in the scale without fear of retaliation and submits to pecking by one of higher rank compare cannibalism sense 3, dominance sense a

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