hierarchical
adjective
hi·er·ar·chi·cal
ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-ki-kəl 
also hir-ˈär-
variants
or hierarchic
ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-kik
also hir-ˈär-
: of, relating to, or arranged in a hierarchy
a hierarchical society
a hierarchical order in the church
Examples of hierarchical in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That Anderson’s never accepted hierarchical distinctions between whichever creative practitioners set his visual instincts alight is the principle of unpredictability which constantly keeps fashion on its toes.
—
Sarah Mower, Vogue, 1 July 2024
Within this hierarchical and unequal framework, Kizer occupied a particularly vulnerable position in the fall of 2010.
—Sammy Sussman, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2024
Once in power, these extremist movements may succeed in transforming themselves into highly hierarchical governments—and in using brute force to keep their opponents at bay.
—Yascha Mounk, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2019
The restaurant world still harbors affection for the idea of cooks paying their dues, but the fetish for rigidly hierarchical and abusive workplaces seems to have abated in recent years.
—Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 17 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for hierarchical 
Sarah Mower, Vogue, 1 July 2024
Within this hierarchical and unequal framework, Kizer occupied a particularly vulnerable position in the fall of 2010.
—Sammy Sussman, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2024
Once in power, these extremist movements may succeed in transforming themselves into highly hierarchical governments—and in using brute force to keep their opponents at bay.
—Yascha Mounk, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2019
The restaurant world still harbors affection for the idea of cooks paying their dues, but the fetish for rigidly hierarchical and abusive workplaces seems to have abated in recent years.
—Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 17 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for hierarchical
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hierarchical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near hierarchical
Cite this Entry
“Hierarchical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hierarchical. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hierarchical
adjective
hi·er·ar·chi·cal
ˌhī-(ə-)ˈrär-ki-kəl
variants
or hierarchic
: of, relating to, or arranged in a hierarchy
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