Definition of rungnext
1
as in level
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

rung

2 of 2

verb

past participle of ring

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of rung
Noun
The higher Khalil got on the rungs of congressional seniority, the more circumspect the lawmakers sounded. Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 There had been little doubt Cristobal left a great situation at Oregon, but his dream job, the top rung for him, was always in Coral Gables. Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026
Verb
And it’s left to the person it’s aimed at to disprove the association — after a bell has been rung that cannot be unrung. Gary Grasso, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026 So, climbing one rung higher and losing to a different team will lead to raising the Cup? Troy Renck, Denver Post, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for rung
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rung
Noun
  • In the weeks since Warsh’s last news conference, bond yields have surged to levels not seen in more than a decade.
    Brian Cheung, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Von Furstenburg took her sun-protective measures to the next level by adding a face mask.
    Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • But the band fury is as climactic as anything that could be done continuing to have the full ensemble play… and Dudamel looked happy enough to put his baton down, turn around and just watch the group play for a few minutes.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The Omaha Police Department said officers will continue to carry tasers, batons, OC spray and firearms.
    Kathy McCormack, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Sunlight chimed off Rubber Hand’s hatchet blade.
    Will Mackin, New Yorker, 28 June 2026
  • In 1859, Big Ben, the great bell inside the famous London clock tower, chimed for the first time.
    ABC News, ABC News, 22 June 2026
Noun
  • There isn’t room on a roster to list all the positions where North Chicago senior Amari Earl could play in a single game.
    Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The move puts Eli Lilly among Citadel’s largest individual stock positions and comes after the pharma giant’s shares suffered a sharp decline earlier this year before rebounding.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Capers used his rifle like a cane and limped along, blood sloshing in his jungle boots.
    Ethan Rocke, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The mini bar—located inside a gorgeous wooden cabinet—was filled with local spirits like pox, a Mayan liquor made of corn, sugar cane, and wheat, and Mayalen Guerrero mezcal in a bottle so beautiful I was tempted to sneak it back in my suitcase.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • George’s arrival was celebrated with gun salutes, and bells at Westminster Abbey—where William and Kate had married over two years prior on April 29, 2011—tolled continuously for three hours in celebration of the future king’s arrival.
    Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 22 July 2026
  • Everyone watched in silence, in the rain, as Holzinger tolled the bell.
    Lauren Oyler, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
Noun
  • The team also traded away Luis Arraez and Heliot Ramos for prospects, further thinning their ranks.
    Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will soon join the ranks of iconic observatories like the Hubble and James Webb telescopes – plumbing the far reaches of the cosmos to answer some of life's greatest mysteries.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • On the walls, a few pots hang from a copper rod, a dinner bell waits to be jingled, and an ancient clock keeps time.
    Elazar Sontag, Washington Post, 2 July 2026
  • The bells that dangled off her red tunic jingled.
    Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 17 Mar. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Rung.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rung. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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