ranket
MediumFormal to Neutral. Common in formal writing, journalism, academic contexts, and business. Less frequent in casual conversation.
Definition
Meaning
To assign a relative position or score based on comparison with others; to arrange in a hierarchical order.
To hold a specific position in an ordered list; to be of a particular level of quality or importance; to outrank or be superior to something else.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies comparison within a defined set. The noun 'rank' can denote a position, a social class (e.g., military), or an undesirable strong smell.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. The adjective 'rank' (meaning absolute or smelling foul) is more commonly used in British English.
Connotations
In both varieties, 'rank' (adj.) connotes something offensively strong, complete, or utter (e.g., rank outsider, rank amateur).
Frequency
Usage frequency for the verb 'to rank' is very similar. The noun 'rank' (military/social) is slightly more prevalent in British contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
rank + noun/pronoun + (as) + adjective/noun (They ranked him as the best.)rank + adverb/prepositional phrase (It ranks among the top five.)be ranked + number/position (She is ranked third.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “pull rank (to use one's superior position to gain an advantage)”
- “rank and file (the ordinary members of an organisation)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to compare company performance, market position, or employee assessments.
Academic
Used in league tables for universities, statistical analysis, and hierarchical classification.
Everyday
Used to discuss preferences, list favourites (e.g., films, restaurants), or describe status.
Technical
Used in mathematics (matrix rank), search engine algorithms (page rank), and sports statistics.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- How does the new model rank in terms of fuel efficiency?
- Manchester United are currently ranked fourth in the league.
- I'd rank that performance among the best I've ever seen.
American English
- Where does this school rank nationally?
- The film is ranked number one at the box office.
- Critics rank her latest novel as a masterpiece.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My favourite song ranks first on my playlist.
- The teams are ranked by their scores.
- The university ranks highly for its engineering programmes.
- Can you rank these three options from best to worst?
- Despite its popularity, the restaurant only ranks mid-table for food quality.
- She pulled rank to get the project resources she needed.
- The country's corruption perception index ranking has plummeted in recent years.
- His duplicity was so rank that it undermined the credibility of the entire institution.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of soldiers standing in RANKs (lines) according to their position. To RANK things is to put them in their proper line or order.
Conceptual Metaphor
HIERARCHY IS VERTICALITY / IMPORTANCE IS UP (e.g., 'highly ranked', 'top-ranked', 'low ranking').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'рангом' только как воинским званием. 'Rank' как глагол - это 'ранжировать', 'классифицировать'.
- 'Rank and file' не переводится дословно. Это 'рядовые члены'.
- 'Pull rank' - идиома, означает 'воспользоваться служебным положением'.
- Прилагательное 'rank' (запах) - это 'вонючий', 'отвратительный', а не 'ранговый'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'rate' and 'rank' interchangeably. 'Rate' is to assess on a scale (e.g., 1-10), 'rank' is to compare and order items against each other.
- Incorrect preposition: 'rank on the list' (more common US) vs. 'rank in the list' (more common UK). Both are acceptable.
- Forgetting that 'rank' (adj.) can mean 'complete/utter' (a rank amateur) as well as 'smelly'.
Practice
Quiz
In the phrase 'the rank and file of the union', what does 'rank and file' refer to?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Rank' implies ordering items relative to each other (1st, 2nd, 3rd). 'Rate' is to assign a score on an absolute scale (8/10). 'Classify' is to sort into categories or types, not necessarily ordered.
Yes. As a noun: 'He holds the rank of captain.' / 'Its global rank improved.' As a verb: 'We need to rank the candidates.'
Yes, 'ranked' can function as a participial adjective. E.g., 'a top-ranked player', 'The list is already ranked.'
It means to use one's higher position of authority to get what one wants, often overriding normal procedures. It usually has a negative connotation, suggesting unfairness or arrogance.