1
a
: a rounded crosspiece between the legs of a chair
b
: one of the crosspieces of a ladder
2
Scotland
: a heavy staff or cudgel
3
: a spoke of a wheel
4
: a level in a hierarchy
rise a few rungs on the social scale—
H. W. Van Loon
H. W. Van LoonSynonyms
Examples of rung in a Sentence
Noun
He was on the bottom rung on the corporate ladder.
the top rung of society
the lowest rung of the pay scale
Recent Examples on the Web
Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Her exit from Congress after nearly three decades will have ripple effects, the most notable being younger generations, at least by Senate standards, starting to climb Democrats’ aging leadership rungs.
—Ramsey Touchberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 26 Nov. 2024
But in a draft this strong, he could still get knocked down the board a few rungs if his weaknesses are seen as too much of a drag on his game.
—John Hollinger, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024
Michele opts to take a beat and organize all her rungs by size, while Olivia doesn’t want to waste any time and relies on trial and error.
—Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rung 
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Noun
Meteora, their sophomore project, peaked in the runner-up rung, but long after it was first released.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Her exit from Congress after nearly three decades will have ripple effects, the most notable being younger generations, at least by Senate standards, starting to climb Democrats’ aging leadership rungs.
—Ramsey Touchberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 26 Nov. 2024
But in a draft this strong, he could still get knocked down the board a few rungs if his weaknesses are seen as too much of a drag on his game.
—John Hollinger, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024
Michele opts to take a beat and organize all her rungs by size, while Olivia doesn’t want to waste any time and relies on trial and error.
—Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rung
Dictionary Entries Near rung
Cite this Entry
“Rung.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rung. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rung
1 of 2past participle of ring entry 3
rung
2 of 2 noun
: a rounded part placed as a crosspiece between the legs of a chair
also
: one of the crosspieces of a ladder
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