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
Male birds also sometimes display their colors as a way to establish a pecking order.
—
Jason Bittel, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2025
Neale explained that the cattle were organized in a matriarchy, with a female at the top of the pecking order.
—Leslie Jamison, Travel + Leisure, 23 Jan. 2025
These sorts of events are a potent reminder of the pecking order for members of Congress.
—Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2025
Calzada not only failed to win the job, but was third in the pecking order and did not see the field for the second time in three seasons.
—Tom Layberger, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pecking order
Jason Bittel, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2025
Neale explained that the cattle were organized in a matriarchy, with a female at the top of the pecking order.
—Leslie Jamison, Travel + Leisure, 23 Jan. 2025
These sorts of events are a potent reminder of the pecking order for members of Congress.
—Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2025
Calzada not only failed to win the job, but was third in the pecking order and did not see the field for the second time in three seasons.
—Tom Layberger, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pecking order
Cite this Entry
“Pecking order.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pecking%20order. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.
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