rung

¹ American  

[ruhng] / rʌŋ /

verb

1. simple past tense and past participle of ring.

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rung ² American  

[ruhng] / rʌŋ /

noun

1. one of the crosspieces, usually rounded, forming the steps of a ladder.

2. a rounded or shaped piece fixed horizontally, for strengthening purposes, as between the legs of a chair.

3. a spoke of a wheel.

4. a stout stick, rod, or bar, especially one of rounded section, forming a piece in something framed or constructed.

5. a stage in a scale, level in a hierarchy, etc.; degree.

   He rose a few rungs in the company.

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rung ¹ British  

/ rʌŋ /

noun

1. one of the bars or rods that form the steps of a ladder

2. a crosspiece between the legs of a chair, etc

3. nautical a spoke on a ship's wheel or a handle projecting from the periphery

4. dialect a cudgel or staff

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rung ² British  

/ rʌŋ /

verb

1. the past participle of ring 2

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Other Word Forms

• rungless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of rung

before 1000; Middle English; Old English hrung; cognate with Gothic hrunga rod, German Runge

Explanation

A rung is one of the horizontal steps of a ladder. You should never stand on the very top rung of a ladder — it can be dangerous! From the literal ladder definition of rung, a place to put your foot (or hand) as you climb up, comes the metaphorical meaning of "a level." For example, if you get a promotion at work, you might say you're climbing up the rungs of the company. The horizontal bars between the legs of a chair are also rungs. This word comes from a Germanic root meaning "stake, staff, or bar."

Example Sentences

If that’s so, you’d be in good shape overall, and you could roll that $310,000 into the next rung of your ladder pretty confidently.

From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026

Lesch never climbed above the lowest rung on the minor league ladder, where he pitched just 10 innings and gave up more runs, hits and walks than he got outs.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

With each passing year, one rung matures, enabling you either to add another year to the ladder or to fund your current living expenses with a stream of cash that stays ahead of inflation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

This upper rung of tech media is moving toward flattering, access-driven coverage, where the powerful reward friendliness more than broader audiences reward independence.

From Slate • Apr. 7, 2026

Maybe I would have known when something went wrong with that rung.

From "The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle" by Leslie Connor