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.

Between artificial intelligence, the Iran War, and the future of Taiwan, there’s a lot for the United States and China to hash out—not least of which being the pecking order.

From Slate • May 15, 2026

Just how far his Sydney struggles have pushed him down the pecking order remains to be seen.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 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 pecking order was simple: Students obeyed teachers, and everyone obeyed Miss Mortimer.

From "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling" by Maryrose Wood