levels 1 of 2

noun

plural of level
as in ranks
the placement of someone or something in relation to others in a vertical arrangement a young karate student ready to rise to the next level in his chosen art of self-defense

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levels

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of level
1
as in balances
to make equal in amount, degree, or status we'll give both teams the same equipment so as to level the playing field

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smooths
to make free from breaks, curves, or bumps the construction workers leveled the ground before laying a foundation for the new house

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in aims
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal the marksman leveled his gun at the target and fired

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in downs
to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall the boxer leveled his opponent with a single blow

Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in demolishes
to destroy (as a building) completely by knocking down or breaking to pieces an old warehouse that was leveled to build a parking lot

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 levels
Noun
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 both closed at their lowest levels in nearly two weeks. — CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026 Biden raised troop levels there to about 100,000, backed by seven fighter squadrons, six destroyers, and roughly 100 nuclear gravity bombs. — Jennifer Kavanagh, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026 So surrounding Antetokounmpo with shooting was the smart strategy, because the data suggests offenses play at well above-average levels when the two-time MVP is paired with elite shooting. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026 Highs Saturday afternoon will top out in the lower to middle 80s, but the humidity levels drop into the comfortable range. — Steven Sosna, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026 Yarn crafters of all skill levels are welcome, from beginners to experienced makers, the release said. — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 The number of food recalls classified by the Food and Drug Administration through August this year is running below historical levels. — Dian Zhang, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 However, instead of a conservative regression, Dressen has noticed institutions striving to adopt more innovative practices on a number of levels. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026 The Marquette poll also showed similar levels of opposition across the state, even in places where there is no proposed development. — Dan Kaufman, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
Tornado levels homes in Enid, Oklahoma Residents of Enid, Oklahoma, are surveying the damage on Friday after a massive tornado ripped through the city on Thursday night. — Jack Moore, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026 The main difference is that Ruisdael cranes upward, to behold a castle on a hill, whereas Vermeer levels his gaze across open water. — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026 The San Jose club will offer players of all skill levels the flexibility to play on their schedule through a simple, all-inclusive monthly membership. — George Avalos, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026 Temperature and rainfall determine how much pollen is released and how quickly levels spike. — Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026 Russia has managed to recruit 30,000 men a month, levels that Ukraine, with only a quarter of Russia’s population, has struggled to match. — Olivier Kempf, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026 The lawsuit also levels a series of accusations against the city of Los Angeles and its Department of Water and Power. — City News Service, Daily News, 19 Feb. 2026 But a new documentary about the reality show levels some serious accusations against all those involved in the production. — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026 Align with what actually levels you up, not what confirms bias, is rage bait or just gives a dopamine hit. — Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for levels
  1. ranks
  2. balances
  3. smooths
  4. aims
  5. downs
  6. demolishes
  7. positions
  8. equates
Noun
  • The team also traded away Luis Arraez and Heliot Ramos for prospects, further thinning their ranks.
    — Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will soon join the ranks of iconic observatories like the Hubble and James Webb telescopes – plumbing the far reaches of the cosmos to answer some of life's greatest mysteries.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of ranks
Verb
  • Asked how the show balances the AIDS crisis and the defeat of the strike against its comedy, Beresford says the two are inseparable.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Inside, the cabin layout balances high-tech minimalism with premium comfort.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of balances
Verb
  • After a thorough cleanse and gua sha to encourage lymphatic drainage, Galina smooths on a cooling mask and leaves it to work its magic while turning her attention to my scalp.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • At its center is wild soybean extract fermented for a whopping 120 hours, a process that breaks down the ingredient's components and creates a lightweight, nourishing formula that smooths the look of skin texture and keeps excess sebum in check.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of smooths
Verb
  • Beijing aims to transform the region into a high-altitude green energy powerhouse, with projects that include a $168 billion megadam, currently under construction, that could stretch the limits of what human engineering has achieved.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • This shift aims to secure more predictable, recurring revenue and higher user retention, mitigating the volatility of hardware sales.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of aims
Verb
  • Springtown takes edge in 7-4A race, downs Decatur Springtown got the inside track on the District 7-4A championship after beating Decatur 4-2 in 8 innings on Monday night at Decatur High School.
    — Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2026
  • Greene downs it, throws the kid his jersey, smiles, and all is right with the world.
    — Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of downs
Verb
  • An $8,000 Ryvid Anthem or a $10,000 Maeving RM1S will deliver broadly similar urban usability, while the $12,500 Zero FXE absolutely demolishes it on power-per-dollar.
    — Utkarsh Sood June 12, New Atlas, 12 June 2026
  • The latest filing demolishes the timeworn claim that DOGE was infiltrated into Social Security in order to responsibly ferret out fraud and overspending.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Definition of demolishes
Noun
  • Those positions remain in flux and negotiations between Assembly members, state senators and Newsom are ongoing, Assembly Natural Resources Committee Chair Isaac Bryan, D-Jefferson Park, said.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The precedent for what happens when that capital moves quickly is March 2020, when a rapid unwind of leveraged positions contributed to a breakdown of Treasury-market liquidity severe enough to require Federal Reserve intervention.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of positions
Verb
  • Summary Common perception equates effective leadership with charisma, often ignoring competent but uncharismatic individuals.
    — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • In the realm of the theater, no one exactly equates the number of headshots on a Playbill page with the ultimate fulfillment a stage show provides.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 18 July 2026
Definition of equates

Browse Nearby Words

leveling
levels
lever
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Cite this Entry

“Levels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/levels. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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