Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

tiered

American  
[teerd] / tɪərd /

adjective

  1. being or arranged in tiers or layers (usually used in combination).

    a two-tiered box of chocolates.


Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of tiered

First recorded in 1800–10; tier 1 + -ed 3

Explanation

Something that is arranged in a series of levels or layers is tiered. Towering wedding cakes are often tiered, with the smallest layer at the very top. Stadium or theater seating is tiered — each row of seats is placed slightly above the row in front of it, so that people sitting in the back can see over the heads of the audience members in front. Skirts and dresses sometimes have tiered ruffles, each layer a bit higher than the one beneath it. The adjective tiered comes from tier, or "row," from the Old French tire, "rank or sequence."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing tiered

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

It is also eligible for tiered royalties of up to double-digit percentages based on the annual net sales of the inhibitors.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 8, 2026

“Building on experience from recent tournaments, a tiered heat-mitigation model will apply,” the statement continued.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 6, 2026

For that reason, individual incomes are taxed at tiered levels, not all as one pot.

From MarketWatch May 23, 2026

The tiered tax, with rates from 0.5% to 4%, is projected to generate $500 million annually for New York City.

From Barron's May 7, 2026

I spot Jack Kang in the front row of the tiered benches.

From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training