1
a
: relative standing or position
b
: a degree or position of dignity, eminence, or excellence : distinction
soon took rank as a leading attorney—
J. D. Hicks
J. D. Hicks
c
: high social position
the privileges of rank
d
: a grade of official standing in a hierarchy
2
: an aggregate of individuals classed together
—usually used in plural
3
b
: a row of people
c(1)
: a line of soldiers ranged side by side in close order
(2)
(3)
ranks plural
: the body of enlisted personnel
d
: any of the rows of squares that extend across a chessboard perpendicular to the files
e
British
: stand sense 6
4
: an orderly arrangement : formation
5
: the order according to some statistical characteristic (such as the score on a test)
6
: any of a series of classes of coal based on increasing alteration of the parent vegetable matter, increasing carbon content, and increasing fuel value
7
: the number of linearly independent rows or columns in a matrix
ranked; ranking; ranks
1
: to determine the relative position of : rate
a highly ranked prospect
2
: to arrange in lines or in a regular formation
3
: to take precedence of
1
: to take or have a position in relation to others
ranks first in her class
2
: to form or move in ranks
1
: offensive in odor or flavor
especially
: rancid
2
a
: shockingly conspicuous
must lecture him on his rank disloyalty—David Walden
David Walden
b
: outright
—used as an intensive
rank beginners
3
: luxuriantly or excessively vigorous in growth
4
: offensively gross or coarse : foul
6
: high in amount or degree : fraught
8
obsolete
: grown too large
rankly
adverb
rankness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of rank in a Sentence
Noun
people of high rank and profession
She's not concerned about rank or wealth.
officers with the rank of captain
He rose to the rank of partner in the law firm.
He longed to join the upper social ranks.
military ranks such as private, corporal, and sergeant
He moved up through the ranks to become vice president of the company.
The organization's ranks have doubled in the past two years.
The flu swept through the ranks, infecting almost every soldier.
Several men were selected from the ranks.
Verb
A magazine recently ranked the school as one of the best in the country.
The city currently ranks as the world's largest.
Students who rank in the top third of their class have a better chance of being accepted to the college of their choice.
Adjective
You can't expect a rank beginner like her to know all the rules of the game.
covered with trumpet vines so rank you couldn't see the trellis beneath them
Recent Examples on the Web
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 2 Dec. 2024
Leaving with the rank of captain, Halas returned to the sidelines in 1946.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 2 Dec. 2024
Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
Kessler told me that he is often asked to rank the various causes of heartbreak.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024
Manny Navarro, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
But nobody has ever managed to do what BMW has: Its new TwinPower engine, also known as the N20, is so powerful and responsive that only a rank sentimentalist would miss the six-cylinder.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2012
See all Example Sentences for rank 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
These whimsical pimple patches were first proudly adopted by Gen Z on TikTok, but stars from the likes of Hailey Bieber, Ella Emhoff, SZA, and Central Cee have joined the ranks—sporting them in selfies all over Instagram.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 2 Dec. 2024
Leaving with the rank of captain, Halas returned to the sidelines in 1946.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 2 Dec. 2024
Verb
This week marks the first time that any version of the cut has reached the main songs ranking, despite the fact that the composition is actually decades old.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
Kessler told me that he is often asked to rank the various causes of heartbreak.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024
Adjective
The Cardinals fired their coach this week, are 3-7 overall and rank 132nd in passing yards allowed per game.
—Manny Navarro, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
But nobody has ever managed to do what BMW has: Its new TwinPower engine, also known as the N20, is so powerful and responsive that only a rank sentimentalist would miss the six-cylinder.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2012
See all Example Sentences for rank
Dictionary Entries Near rank
Cite this Entry
“Rank.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rank. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rank
1 of 3 adjective1
: strong and active in growth
rank weeds
2
: offensively gross or vulgar : foul
rank language
3
a
: very noticeable
rank dishonesty
b
: outright entry 2 sense 1
rank beginners
4
: offensive in odor or flavor
rankly
adverb
rankness
noun
rank
2 of 3 noun2
a
: a line of soldiers standing side by side
b
: the body of enlisted persons in an army
rose from the ranks
3
: a group of individuals classed together
—usually used in plural
in the ranks of the unemployed
4
: position within a group
a poet of high rank
5
: official grade or position
the rank of general
6
: high social position
a person of rank
rank
3 of 3 verb1
: to arrange in lines or in a formation
2
: to determine the position of in relation to others : rate
a highly ranked player
3
: to come before in rank
a captain ranks a lieutenant
4
: to take or have a certain position in a group
ranks third in the class
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