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rank

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noun

1
as in ranking
the placement of someone or something in relation to others in a vertical arrangement attained the highest rank in the Freemasons

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
as in row
a series of people or things arranged side by side rank upon rank of cavalry came thundering down the hill

Synonyms & Similar Words

4

rank

3 of 3

adjective

1
as in rampant
growing thickly and vigorously covered with trumpet vines so rank you couldn't see the trellis beneath them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word rank distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of rank are fetid, fusty, malodorous, musty, noisome, putrid, and stinking. While all these words mean "bad-smelling," rank suggests a strong unpleasant smell.

rank cigar smoke

How do fusty and musty relate to one another, in the sense of rank?

Both fusty and musty suggest lack of fresh air and sunlight, fusty also implying prolonged uncleanliness, musty stressing the effects of dampness, mildew, or age.

a fusty attic
the musty odor of a damp cellar

When is malodorous a more appropriate choice than rank?

The synonyms malodorous and rank are sometimes interchangeable, but malodorous may range from the unpleasant to the strongly offensive.

malodorous fertilizers

In what contexts can noisome take the place of rank?

While the synonyms noisome and rank are close in meaning, noisome adds a suggestion of being harmful or unwholesome as well as offensive.

a stagnant, noisome sewer

When might putrid be a better fit than rank?

Although the words putrid and rank have much in common, putrid implies particularly the sickening odor of decaying organic matter.

the putrid smell of rotting fish

How are the words stinking and fetid related as synonyms of rank?

Both stinking and fetid suggest the foul or disgusting.

prisoners were held in stinking cells
the fetid odor of skunk cabbage

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rank
Verb
The only one that did not improve was North Dakota, which already was ranked highest among the states. Jenna Bednar, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2024 The smash jumps from No. 24 to No. 4 on the Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles ranking. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
In 2022, after acquiring the social network, Musk infamously purged Twitter’s ranks and fired 80 percent of its employees in the first six months, and then made a series of management decisions that ultimately threw the company into further financial disarray. Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2024 Snoop’s recent milestone of achieving Billboard Top 10 hits across four consecutive decades—joining the ranks of Jay-Z and Mariah Carey—only highlights his enduring relevance in the industry. Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Many of those still rank among Pixar's best films, have spawned sequels and featured the voice talents of instantly recognizable stars. Madeline Boardman, EW.com, 25 Mar. 2024 The Denver Chute Out, Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour, features top bull riders squaring off against the rankest bucking bulls in North America. Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post, 25 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rank 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rank
Verb
  • And there are no pockets—a design that helps the jacket fit into a pocket.
    The Editors, Outside Online, 18 Nov. 2024
  • But the court also stated that there were triable issues of fact with regard to the duration of the bite.
    Jason Green, The Mercury News, 17 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The Trust is classified as a 'grantor trust' for United States federal income tax purposes, meaning the Trust itself is not subject to federal income tax.
    Quartz Bot, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024
  • Due to this, certain states can be classified as battleground states or swing states, meaning that they can be won by either presidential candidate.
    Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Las Lomas and Gunn enter the rankings, San Ramon Valley, Archbishop Riordan rise after winning regular-season finales.
    Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
  • Tulane 8-2 98 – Dropped out of rankings: Iowa State (17), Pittsburgh (23), Vanderbilt (24).
    Eric Olson, The Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Instead of Black life maimed, denuded of dignity, and degraded, each portrait that makes up I, Narcissus is a study of delicious glamour.
    Essence, Essence, 5 Nov. 2024
  • All of us deserve to be treated equally and all of us deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
    Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • To put Golden State ahead, Anderson drilled three 3-pointers in a row.
    Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
  • Trump, meanwhile, is representing his party for the third presidential election in a row.
    Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • To receive this award, products have to demonstrate best-in-class performance over months of rigorous testing, besting the competition in their respective categories.
    Outside Editors, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024
  • Copied Share Ravens' rushing attack unmatched Greg Rosenstein Ravens RB Derrick Henry leads the NFL in several categories through the first half of the season: rushing attempts (168), rushing yards (1,052), rushing TD (11) and total TD (13).
    NBC News, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Between the lines: Partisan poll watchers have been part of U.S. elections since at least the 19th century to counter voter fraud and violence, which were rampant at the time, per PBS' Retro Report.
    April Rubin, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Sixty percent of the water that flows into the lower Mississippi River comes from the Ohio River, where drought is rampant.
    Mary Gilbert, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • This is about a team with a top-10 payroll whose GM committed too stinking much of it to dogs that can’t, or won’t, pull the sled.
    Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2019
  • Muttaiah said the man inside the stinking manhole was working without any safety equipment — no gloves, no shoes, no supplemental oxygen.
    Joanna Slater, Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2019

Thesaurus Entries Near rank

Cite this Entry

“Rank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rank. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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