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 LoonExamples 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
Emma George-Griffin, Freep.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Just up a rung on his family tree.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
Prime and near-prime borrowers, who typically have good credit scores, are actually missing car payments at a faster rate than subprime consumers since lenders tightened financing criteria for the lowest-rung borrowers three years ago, the study found.
—Miguel Ambriz, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2025
The book zeros in on the lower rungs of the masthead, and the way underpaid entry level staffers fueled the machine that shaped our culture, from fashion to fitness to home décor.
—New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rung
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Noun
Each mariner will be remembered with a bell rung.
—Emma George-Griffin, Freep.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Just up a rung on his family tree.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
Prime and near-prime borrowers, who typically have good credit scores, are actually missing car payments at a faster rate than subprime consumers since lenders tightened financing criteria for the lowest-rung borrowers three years ago, the study found.
—Miguel Ambriz, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2025
The book zeros in on the lower rungs of the masthead, and the way underpaid entry level staffers fueled the machine that shaped our culture, from fashion to fitness to home décor.
—New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rung
Cite this Entry
“Rung.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rung. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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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