rung

1 of 2
Synonyms of rungnext

past participle of ring

rung

2 of 2

noun

ˈrəŋ How to pronounce rung (audio)
1
a
: a rounded crosspiece between the legs of a chair
b
: one of the crosspieces of a ladder
2
Scotland : a heavy staff or cudgel
3
: a spoke of a wheel
4
: a level in a hierarchy
… rise a few rungs on the social scale …—H. W. Van Loon

Synonyms of rung

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Noun

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Examples of rung in a Sentence

Noun He was on the bottom rung on the corporate ladder. the top rung of society the lowest rung of the pay scale
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.
Noun
That album conquered several rankings and missed out on ruling the Billboard 200 by only one rung. — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 And there is the middle rung, including business administration, urban studies and chemistry, whose graduates take home around $70,000 on average. — Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 Their 3-point shooting once again ranked in the bottom rungs of the league. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 Yet experts warn that Southeast Asia’s competitive edge—its abundance of cheap, low-skilled labor—could trap it at the bottom rungs of the AI tech ladder. — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rung

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hrung crossbar; akin to Goth hrunga staff and perhaps to Old English hring ring — more at ring

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of rung was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing rung

Rhymes for rung

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Browse Nearby Words

run for one's money
rung
rungless
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rung.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rung. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

rung

1 of 2

past participle of ring entry 3

rung

2 of 2 noun
ˈrəŋ How to pronounce rung (audio)
: a rounded part placed as a crosspiece between the legs of a chair
also : one of the crosspieces of a ladder

Medical Definition

rung

past part of ring

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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