rank

The word rank often deals with one's position or status in a group. In the military, an officer with a high rank will be in charge of soldiers of lower rank.

The noun rank refers to a position within a hierarchy, and to rank something is to put it in order — for example, your high school might rank students in terms of their GPAs. You can also use rank to describe an especially foul smell, like the rank gym shoes in the back of your closet. Linguists see the Old English ranc as having roots prior to the 11th century, possibly from the Old Norse rakkr, meaning "straight."

Definitions of rank
  1. noun
    relative status
    “his salary was determined by his rank and seniority”
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    types:
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    first, number one
    the first or highest in an ordering or series
    second
    following the first in an ordering or series
    third
    following the second position in an ordering or series
    fourth
    following the third position; number four in a countable series
    fifth
    position five in a countable series of things
    sixth
    position six in a countable series of things
    seventh
    position seven in a countable series of things
    eighth
    position eight in a countable series of things
    ninth
    position nine in a countable series of things
    tenth
    position ten in a countable series of things
    eleventh
    position 11 in a countable series of things
    twelfth
    position 12 in a countable series of things
    thirteenth
    position 13 in a countable series of things
    fourteenth
    position 14 in a countable series of things
    fifteenth
    position 15 in a countable series of things
    sixteenth
    position 16 in a countable series of things
    seventeenth
    position 17 in a countable series of things
    eighteenth
    position 18 in a countable series of things
    nineteenth
    position 19 in a countable series of things
    twentieth
    position 20 in a countable series of things
    thirtieth
    position 30 in a countable series of things
    fortieth
    position 40 in a countable series of things
    fiftieth
    position 50 in a countable series of things
    sixtieth
    position 60 in a countable series of things
    seventieth
    position 70 in a countable series of things
    eightieth
    position 80 in a countable series of things
    ninetieth
    position 90 in a countable series of things
    hundredth
    position 100 in a countable series of things
    thousandth
    position 1,000 in a countable series of things
    millionth
    position 1,000,000 in a countable series of things
    billionth
    position 1,000,000,000 in a countable series of things
    last
    the last or lowest in an ordering or series
    grade, level, tier
    a relative position or degree of value in a graded group
    gradation, step
    relative position in a graded series
    second class
    not the highest rank in a classification
    military rank, military rating, paygrade, rating
    rank in a military organization
    archidiaconate
    office or position of an archdeacon
    baronetcy, barony
    the rank or dignity or position of a baronet or baroness
    dukedom
    the dignity or rank or position of a duke
    earldom
    the dignity or rank or position of an earl or countess
    kingship
    the dignity or rank or position of a king
    princedom
    the dignity or rank or position of a prince
    viscountcy, viscounty
    the dignity or rank or position of a viscount or viscountess
    former
    the first of two or the first mentioned of two
    latter
    the second of two or the second mentioned of two
    biosafety level
    the level of safety from exposure to infectious agents; depends on work practices and safety equipment and facilities
    cut
    a step on some scale
    A level
    the advanced level of a subject taken in school (usually two years after O level)
    GCSE, General Certificate of Secondary Education, O level
    the basic level of a subject taken in school
    college level
    the level of education that college students are assumed to have attained
    flag rank
    the rank of a flag officer
    type of:
    position, status
    the relative position or standing of things or especially persons in a society
  2. noun
    position in a social hierarchy
    synonyms: echelon, social rank, social station, social status
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    types:
    place, station
    proper or designated social situation
    quality
    high social status
    niche
    a position particularly well suited to the person who occupies it
    type of:
    position, status
    the relative position or standing of things or especially persons in a society
  3. noun
    the body of members of an organization or group
    “they found dissension in their own ranks”
    “he joined the ranks of the unemployed”
    synonyms: membership
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    type of:
    body
    a group of persons associated by some common tie or occupation and regarded as an entity
  4. noun
    the ordinary members of an organization (such as the enlisted soldiers of an army)
    “the strike was supported by the union rank and file”
    “he rose from the ranks to become a colonel”
    synonyms: rank and file
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    type of:
    force, personnel
    group of people willing to obey orders
  5. noun
    a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another
    “the entrance was guarded by ranks of policemen”
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    type of:
    line
    a formation of people or things one beside another
  6. verb
    take or have a position relative to others
    “This painting ranks among the best in the Western World”
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    types:
    come in, come out, place
    take a place in a competition; often followed by an ordinal
    come
    have a certain priority
    type of:
    be
    have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)
  7. verb
    assign a rank or rating to
    “how would you rank these students?”
    synonyms: grade, order, place, range, rate
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    types:
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    superordinate
    place in a superior order or rank
    shortlist
    put someone or something on a short list
    seed
    distribute (players or teams) so that outstanding teams or players will not meet in the early rounds
    reorder
    assign a new order to
    subordinate
    rank or order as less important or consider of less value
    prioritise, prioritize
    assign a priority to
    sequence
    arrange in a sequence
    downgrade
    rate lower; lower in value or esteem
    upgrade
    rate higher; raise in value or esteem
    invert, reverse
    reverse the position, order, relation, or condition of
    countermarch
    change the order of soldiers during a march
    outclass
    cause to appear in a lower class
    type of:
    evaluate, judge, pass judgment
    form a critical opinion of
  8. verb
    take precedence or surpass others in rank
    synonyms: outrank
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    type of:
    excel, stand out, surpass
    distinguish oneself
  9. adjective
    very fertile; producing profuse growth
    “rank earth”
    Synonyms:
    fertile
    capable of reproducing
  10. adjective
    growing profusely
    “rank jungle vegetation”
    Synonyms:
    abundant
    present in great quantity
  11. adjective
    complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers
    “a rank outsider”
    synonyms: absolute, downright, out-and-out, right-down, sheer
    complete
    having every necessary or normal part or component or step
  12. adjective
    very offensive in smell or taste
    “a rank cigar”
    Synonyms:
    offensive
    unpleasant or disgusting especially to the senses
  13. adjective
    conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
    “rank treachery”
    synonyms: crying, egregious, flagrant, glaring, gross
    conspicuous
    obvious to the eye or mind
Word Family