bottom of the ladder

Idioms  

1. Lowest or most junior position in a hierarchy. For example, If we hire you, you'll have to begin at the bottom of the ladder. The rungs of a ladder have been likened to a step-wise progression since the 14th century. Also see low man on the totem pole.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bottom of the ladder

Mysteriously, he gets the job, though it turns out to be at the very bottom of the ladder — as a copy boy confined to the basement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

"Unless we can move on, it’s going to harm the people at the bottom of the ladder."

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2024

It's in everybody's interests, top and bottom of the ladder.

From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2023

The length of the ladder is 9 feet longer than the distance of the bottom of the ladder from the building.

From Textbooks ● May 6, 2020

Octavian had reached the bottom of the ladder.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

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