ladder

noun · verb

Simple meaning

Steps made up of two parallel members connected by rungs.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

lader

Say the bold part a little louder.

US device voice

IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈlædɚ

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

Steps consisting of two parallel members connected by rungs; for climbing up or down
A frame, usually portable, of wood, metal, or rope, used for ascent and descent, consisting of two side pieces to which are fastened rungs (cross strips or rounds acting as steps).
figuratively
A series of stages by which one progresses to a better position.
figuratively
The hierarchy or ranking system within an organization, such as the corporate ladder.
go
A sequence of moves following a zigzag pattern and ultimately leading to the capture of the attacked stones.
chiefly british
A length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment, especially in nylon stockings; a run.

verb

To arrange or form into a shape of a ladder.
chiefly firefighting
To ascend (a building, a wall, etc.) using a ladder.
Of a knitted garment: to develop a ladder as a result of a broken thread.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty: B1 · Intermediate (estimated)
Frequency: Moderately Common
Typical Use: General and technical use

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: Steps consisting of two parallel members connected by rungs; for climbing up or down

Used this way, ladder is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Emotional tone: Neutral
Formality: Neutral
Intensity: Not strongly marked
How common: Moderately common
Connotation: Matter-of-fact
Usage feel: Neutral and straightforward

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

More ways to use ladder

“He used a tall ladder to reach the high shelf in the garage.”

Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

Steps / frame

rope ladder

Hierarchy

economic ladder

Other combinations

career ladderstep laddereducational ladderlong ladderpolitical ladderoccupational ladder

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Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

ladder-backnounCompound term
A chair with a ladder-back.
ladder-back chairnounCompound term
A chair with a ladder-back.
ladder trucknounCompound term
A fire engine carrying ladders.
extension laddernounCompound term
A ladder whose length can be extended.
fish laddernounCompound term
A series of ascending pools providing a passage for salmon to swim upstream past a dam.
jack laddernounCompound term
A hanging ladder of ropes or chains supporting wooden or metal rungs or steps.

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.