: having a high position: such as
a
: of the highest rank
the ranking officer
b
: being next to the chairperson in seniority
ranking committee member
plural rankings
: position, order, or standing within a group : rank
The figures, compiled from federal surveys and a tourism research concern, earned New York City a second-place ranking nationwide as a destination for United States travelers, pushing Las Vegas down to the No. 3 spot.—Eric Lipton
… if a site is linked to by sites of high quality and popularity, those links can raise the ranking of the first site.—Elizabeth Stone
Playing primarily in regional events, she earned a ranking of No. 151, high enough to make the qualifying field at Roland Garros.—L. Jon Wertheim
… he had the lowest interception rate and the highest ranking of any NFL quarterback …—Paul Zimmerman
ranking
3 of 3present participle of rank entry 2
Cite this Entry
“Ranking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ranking. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.
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