rung
1 Americanverb
noun
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rungs
plural
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one of the crosspieces, usually rounded, forming the steps of a ladder.
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a rounded or shaped piece fixed horizontally, for strengthening purposes, as between the legs of a chair.
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a spoke of a wheel.
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a stout stick, rod, or bar, especially one of rounded section, forming a piece in something framed or constructed.
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a stage in a scale, level in a hierarchy, etc.; degree.
He rose a few rungs in the company.
noun
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one of the bars or rods that form the steps of a ladder
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a crosspiece between the legs of a chair, etc
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nautical a spoke on a ship's wheel or a handle projecting from the periphery
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dialect a cudgel or staff
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
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:
“Condos really represent kind of the entry rung to the homeownership ladder,” Berner, the economist, said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
It was the fourth consecutive World Cup in which the U.S. has gone out in the final 16, a rung on the tournament ladder the Americans have gotten past just once in 96 years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
“The right question is whether Alan Greenspan, this huge guru who had tremendous influence, could have rung the bell better. And he could have,” said Kohn.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
Piatti preferred to send him to play on the Futures tour, the lowest rung of men's professional tennis.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
Her foot slipped on a slick rung, and Celaena barely stifled her cry as she gripped the bars, cursing as her knee banged into the gate.
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
California’s incentives, even after the recent expansion, are built for productions several rungs above them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
They had about 15% fewer entry-level workers, 15% fewer managers, and fewer rungs in the corporate ladder—yet with similar valuations as their less AI-focused peers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Most of her career has been spent on the lower rungs of the professional ladder, travelling around trying to make ends meets.
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026
“I think AI and technology have knocked some of the rungs out of the traditional ladder.”
From MarketWatch ● May 7, 2026
As Mami pulled her feet onto the rungs of her rocking chair and rubbed the goose bumps from her arms, I imagined a world of fascinating creatures slithering underfoot, drawing squiggly patterns on the dirt.
From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago
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.
