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Synonyms

ranking

American  
[rang-king] / ˈræŋ kɪŋ /

adjective

  1. senior or superior in rank, position, etc..

    a ranking diplomat.

  2. prominent or highly regarded.

    a ranking authority on Soviet affairs.

  3. occupying a specific rank, position, etc. (often used in combination).

    a low-ranking executive.

noun

  1. an act or instance of indicating relative standing.

  2. a list showing such standing.

ranking British  
/ ˈræŋkɪŋ /

adjective

  1. prominent; high ranking

  2. slang possessed of style; fashionable; exciting

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a position on a scale; rating

    a ranking in a tennis tournament
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ranking

First recorded in 1860–65; rank 1 + -ing 2, -ing 1

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.

Since the All-Star break, they had become one of the best teams when it came to taking care of the ball, committing only 12.6 turnovers per game, ranking third in the league.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

It also created a ranking system, Spindex, with the hopes of making it a ratings scale similar to golf handicaps.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

Indeed, their toughest test in terms of ranking last year was a friendly against Senegal, who were 19th in the world at the time.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

Gov. Gary Locke in 2002 introduced the “Priorities of Government” strategy of ranking programs based on public value and essential government functions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Far from being modern breadbaskets, they include areas ranking today as somewhat dry or ecologically degraded: Iraq and Iran, Mexico, the Andes, parts of China, and Africa’s Sahel zone.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.