variants
also peck order
as in hierarchy
the way in which people or things in a group or organization are placed in a series of levels with different importance or status
As an assistant manager, he was pretty low in the company's pecking order.
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Recent Examples of pecking order
Do not weaken it by suggesting that there is, ahem, a pecking order to its suitability.
—
Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 20 Dec. 2024
The 25-year-old, who came through Tottenham’s academy, is their third-choice goalkeeper and will drop even further down the pecking order when the signing of Antonin Kinsky from Slavia Prague is completed.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025
Meanwhile since then, teams previously considered in the second tier of the Eastern Conference or lower, such as the New York Knicks, Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers have all leaped over Miami in the pecking order.
—Dj Siddiqi, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
Where Herbert fits exactly in the pecking order is the topic of never-ending debates on radio shows, television segments and podcasts.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pecking order 
Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 20 Dec. 2024
The 25-year-old, who came through Tottenham’s academy, is their third-choice goalkeeper and will drop even further down the pecking order when the signing of Antonin Kinsky from Slavia Prague is completed.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025
Meanwhile since then, teams previously considered in the second tier of the Eastern Conference or lower, such as the New York Knicks, Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers have all leaped over Miami in the pecking order.
—Dj Siddiqi, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
Where Herbert fits exactly in the pecking order is the topic of never-ending debates on radio shows, television segments and podcasts.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pecking order
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Cite this Entry
“Pecking order.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pecking%20order. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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