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
For the sake of business efficiency, most operational decisions are made by managers in a standard hierarchical structure.
—
Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 May 2024
As the only female, the most inexperienced member, and someone coming from a multicultural background, the passionate educator faced hierarchical challenges and learned how to masterfully adapt to any circumstances.
—Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024
In that same vein, rather than running into a heavily hierarchical, top-down leadership structure, new employees are assigned a mentor or coach to help with their development, while being able to work directly with people at all levels of the company.
—Michael Schroeder, The Indianapolis Star, 6 May 2024
Trapped amid extremely isolating circumstances, the surviving students are faced with internal hierarchical power struggles while apocalyptic-like accidents continue to claim more lives.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024
This theory centered a relatively sophisticated mind as the defining attribute of our species, and thus was consistent with ancient hierarchical taxonomies that placed man, with his ability to reason, apart from and above the beasts.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
But many people are also exasperated with the doctors, despite the exalted position that physicians hold in South Korea’s hierarchical society.
—Jin Yu Young, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Many groups formed hierarchical class systems and were ruled by powerful leaders who claimed supernatural powers—not unlike kings who ruled by divine right in Europe.
—Kathleen Duval, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024
Encouraging leaders to work alongside employees breaks down hierarchical barriers, promoting a culture of openness and collective growth.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 May 2024
As the only female, the most inexperienced member, and someone coming from a multicultural background, the passionate educator faced hierarchical challenges and learned how to masterfully adapt to any circumstances.
—Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024
In that same vein, rather than running into a heavily hierarchical, top-down leadership structure, new employees are assigned a mentor or coach to help with their development, while being able to work directly with people at all levels of the company.
—Michael Schroeder, The Indianapolis Star, 6 May 2024
Trapped amid extremely isolating circumstances, the surviving students are faced with internal hierarchical power struggles while apocalyptic-like accidents continue to claim more lives.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024
This theory centered a relatively sophisticated mind as the defining attribute of our species, and thus was consistent with ancient hierarchical taxonomies that placed man, with his ability to reason, apart from and above the beasts.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
But many people are also exasperated with the doctors, despite the exalted position that physicians hold in South Korea’s hierarchical society.
—Jin Yu Young, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Many groups formed hierarchical class systems and were ruled by powerful leaders who claimed supernatural powers—not unlike kings who ruled by divine right in Europe.
—Kathleen Duval, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024
Encouraging leaders to work alongside employees breaks down hierarchical barriers, promoting a culture of openness and collective growth.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hierarchical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near hierarchical
Cite this Entry
“Hierarchical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hierarchical. Accessed 20 May. 2024.
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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