rank 1 of 3

rank

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noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
as in row
a series of people or things arranged side by side rank upon rank of cavalry came thundering down the hill

Synonyms & Similar Words

4

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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
Iowa was ranked as high as No. 3 nationally during both the 2016 and 2021 seasons. Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2025 Early polls had Ramaswamy leading any of his potential competitors by far, with 61% of Republican respondents ranking him as their first choice, according to a Bowling Green State University survey. Eric Cortellessa, Time, 27 Mar. 2025
Noun
The idea that the most dangerous threats aren't always foreign enemies but those operating within one's own ranks mirrors real-world concerns about internal security breaches and shifting allegiances. Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025 At least eight Democrats will need to join with Republicans, who hold a 53-47 majority but have some dissent in their ranks, to move the funding package forward. Kevin Freking, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 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
Verb
  • Season 1 didn’t have a ton of mixing, but there was such a great conflict established between Armond and Shane.
    Erik Kain, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
  • So there were a lot of conversations with Teddy, with Ty and Tyrone.
    Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 23 Mar. 2025
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
Noun
  • Spieth has four top 10’s in eight starts at TPC San Antonio and two top 10’s so far this season as the former world No. 1 (2015-16) tries to move up from No. 66 in the current world golf rankings.
    Jay Ginsbach, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Harris Teeter had held the top ranking from 2016 to 2018.
    Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 31 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Humanitarian aid is based on empathy and the recognition that everyone has a right to live with dignity.
    Chen Reis, The Conversation, 21 Mar. 2025
  • So these are formal situations, in which patients are in need of dignity and professional distance.
    Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Alabama is in the Elite 8 for just the third time in school history but second season in a row.
    Tim Casey, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The Bobcats won eight in a row before losing, 2-1, to the Huskies in the CT Ice semifinal on Jan. 14, 2025.
    Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Slacks and a dress are an easy choice for men looking to fit this category.
    Shelby Wax, Vogue, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Since 2012, Puerto Rico has not been allowed to submit a film for the Oscars in the international feature category.
    Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2025
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
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

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Cite this Entry

“Rank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rank. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.

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