rank 1 of 3

verb

Definition of ranknext
1
as in to be
to take or have a certain position within a group arranged in vertical classes my favorite pitcher ranks first in the league for number of consecutive outs

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Relevance
2
as in to classify
to arrange or assign according to type most critics would rank him among our best actors

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rank

2 of 3

noun

ˈraŋk How to pronounce rank (audio)
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

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2
as in dignity
high position within society remembered as a woman of rank who socialized only with other members of the elite

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

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4
as in category
usually ranks plural one of the units into which a whole is divided on the basis of a common characteristic this book will someday join the ranks of the world's great novels

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stinking
having an unpleasant smell smokes rank cigars that usually send me running for fresh air

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in obvious
very noticeable especially for being incorrect or bad the article about fairy tales was full of rank errors, such as a reference to "Cinderella biting into the poisoned apple"

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in absolute
having no exceptions or restrictions a sidewalk sale of art works by rank amateurs

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Example 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
Advisers are ranked by the revenue and nights booked for the Four Seasons. —Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2025 Buffett is currently ranked as the world’s fourth-wealthiest person by Bloomberg, with a net worth of $154 billion — up from sixth-wealthiest on Monday. —Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
Eventually, Christ the King Catholic Church asked the family to leave its ranks. —Tony Holt, Arkansas Online, 7 Apr. 2025 Los Angeles Lakers superstar shooting guard Kobe Bryant, fresh off an NBA Finals loss, galvanized the club by joining its ranks. —John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
Only Tokio is expected to remain, albeit in rank 3, while Osaka/Kyoto is expected to fall as far as rank 13 by 2040, down from formerly rank 3. —Katharina Buchholz, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025 Brownfield to wetlands: Pima county officials plan green future for contaminated facility Finally, John Leos visited Tucson to meet with some of the folks who are trying to clean-up a wastewater treatment plant that, for years, filled surrounding areas with a pretty rank odor. —Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, 30 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for rank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rank
  1. be
  2. classify
  3. ranking
  4. dignity
  5. row
  6. category
  7. rampant
  8. stinking
Verb
  • Obviously, the pandemic was a highly unusual situation but there are lessons to learn when the power of innovation is unleashed, especially in times of crisis.
    — Mary Anna Mancuso, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2025
  • But there are plenty of points available, with Forest now on 57 and another 24 to play for.
    — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of be
Verb
  • The county classified fewer than 25,000 homes as attainable in 2024 — compared to nearly 100,000 in 2018.
    — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2025
  • If the rating agencies and regulators classify Bit Bonds as risk-free or near risk-free because the principal is sovereign-backed, these institutions might be able to deploy significant capital into them.
    — Dave Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of classify
Noun
  • That’s high praise for a player who until pretty recently was just trying to finish number-one in the PGA Tour University rankings.
    — Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Moana also returned to the movie rankings after two weeks outside the top 10 with 223 million minutes.
    — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of ranking
Noun
  • They can be done with respect for human dignity and with respect for the law — and they're not being done that way now.
    — Tonya Mosley, NPR, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The effort was framed as a check on the destruction and loss of civilian life in Gaza—an issue that evokes deep concern for many, including Jews, who overwhelmingly stand for justice and human dignity.
    — Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of dignity
Noun
  • The Clue: This Wordle has two consonants and two vowels in a row.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Tampa starts this series as losers of four in a row.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of row
Noun
  • For instance, the international feature category currently honors the submitting country, not the director — even though the director’s name is engraved on the Oscar statuette.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
  • The recall is labeled as Class III by the FDA, its lowest category.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of category
Adjective
  • More recently, China’s rampant overfishing of its own coastal waters has meant expanding fishing in the South China Sea and using fishing fleets to assert new territorial claims.
    — Bradley J. Cardinale, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Economic piracy in Southeast Asia is especially rampant in the Strait of Malacca, a critical shipping channel off the coast of Malaysia.
    — Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of rampant
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
Definition of stinking

Phrases Containing rank

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ran into
rank
rank and file
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Cite this Entry

“Rank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rank. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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