pecking order

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The 36-year-old, who lost the England captaincy to Zoe Stratford at the start of last year, had slipped down the pecking order and was fighting to make a home World Cup squad.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

The No. 55 draft pick in 2024, Bronny has surpassed Dalton Knecht, the 17th pick in that same draft, in the Lakers’ pecking order.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

For decades, chicken thighs rated so low in the national pecking order that U.S. poultry producers unloaded much of their dark-meat yield to hungry markets abroad in Russia, Mexico, and across Asia.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

The artificial-intelligence trade is upending the long-standing pecking order of Big Tech valuations as investors hunt for the next big winners and losers.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 19, 2026

Beidleman, sensitive by nature, was quite conscious of his place in the expedition pecking order.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer