hierarchical

adjective

hi·er·ar·chi·cal ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-ki-kəl

also hir-ˈär-

variants or hierarchic

ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-kik

also hir-ˈär-

: of, relating to, or arranged in a hierarchy

a hierarchical society

a hierarchical order in the church

hierarchically

ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-ki-k(ə-)lē

also hir-ˈär-

adverb

Examples of hierarchical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

By decentralizing decision-making, pods can respond to challenges with greater speed and flexibility compared to rigid hierarchical structures. —

Scott Hutcheson, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025 It was determined that Viking Norway was less hierarchical and more violent than Viking Denmark, where the 6 percent of the population who died violently were almost always formally executed. —

Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 2 Nov. 2024 The United States appears to hold an edge here: whereas the U.S. military provides lower-level officers considerable autonomy to make quick, adaptive decisions on the battlefield, the PLA maintains a highly bureaucratic culture and deeply hierarchical command structure. —

Sam Bresnick, Foreign Affairs, 31 Dec. 2024 This effect is stronger in organizations with strong hierarchical cultures. —

Zhe Zhang shuili Du, Harvard Business Review, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hierarchical