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
Examples of hierarchical in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As a recent feature in the Guardian by Becca Lewis laid out, Silicon Valley itself has exhibited right-wing tendencies for decades, embracing misogynist and hierarchical attitudes about achievement.
—
Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2025
This hierarchical process aligns with longstanding linguistic theories and provides unprecedented insight into the neural dynamics of language production.
—Luis E. Romero, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
Mani adds that a one-person leadership becomes hierarchical and doesn’t tap into the core expertise that the respective CEOs have.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Feb. 2025
Dunlop’s Executive Terminal demo showed how many of these same advanced technologies could be directed along another path, that of a strictly hierarchical organization, highly attuned to rank and defined roles and specialties.
—IEEE Spectrum, 12 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hierarchical
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Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2025
This hierarchical process aligns with longstanding linguistic theories and provides unprecedented insight into the neural dynamics of language production.
—Luis E. Romero, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
Mani adds that a one-person leadership becomes hierarchical and doesn’t tap into the core expertise that the respective CEOs have.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Feb. 2025
Dunlop’s Executive Terminal demo showed how many of these same advanced technologies could be directed along another path, that of a strictly hierarchical organization, highly attuned to rank and defined roles and specialties.
—IEEE Spectrum, 12 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hierarchical
Cite this Entry
“Hierarchical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hierarchical. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hierarchical
adjective
hi·er·ar·chi·cal
ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-ki-kəl
variants
or hierarchic
: of, relating to, or arranged in a hierarchy
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