seniority

noun

se·​nior·​i·​ty sēn-ˈyȯr-ə-tē How to pronounce seniority (audio)
-ˈyär-
Synonyms of senioritynext
1
: the quality or state of being senior : priority
2
: a privileged status attained by length of continuous service (as in a company)

Examples of seniority in a Sentence

Promotions are based on merit and seniority. a teacher with less seniority He has worked here longer than I have, so he has seniority over me.
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.
The chief justice speaks first, followed by the rest of the court in order of seniority. — The Conversation, 24 June 2026 New York is best served by having members with seniority. — Bradley Tusk, New York Daily News, 20 June 2026 Decisions are announced from the bench by order of seniority of the author, with Roberts going last. — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 July 2026 This moment is redefining what engineering work looks like, how value is created, what seniority truly means and how high-performing teams operate. — Ameya Kanitkar, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for seniority

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of seniority was in the 15th century

Rhymes for seniority

See All Rhymes for seniority

Browse Nearby Words

senioritis
seniority
seniority rule
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Seniority.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seniority. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

seniority

noun
se·​nior·​i·​ty sēn-ˈyȯr-ət-ē How to pronounce seniority (audio)
-ˈyär-
1
: the quality or state of being senior
2
: a privileged position arrived at by length of service

Legal Definition

seniority

noun
se·​nior·​i·​ty sēn-ˈyȯr-ə-tē How to pronounce seniority (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being senior
2
: the senior status attained by length of continuous service (as in a company)
also : the length of such continuous service

More from Merriam-Webster on seniority

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for seniority

Nglish: Translation of seniority for Spanish Speakers

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