rank

/ræŋk/
adjective
  1. Having a strong, unpleasant smell or taste.
    • The air was rank with the smell of smoke and garbage.
    • The rank odor of rotten eggs filled the room.
    • He threw away the rank cheese that had been in the fridge too long.
  2. Complete or absolute, used to emphasize something negative.
    • The company's decision was a rank betrayal of its customers.
    • His behavior was rank stupidity, and everyone knew it.
    • That is a rank injustice to the hardworking employees.
  3. Growing thickly and vigorously, especially of plants or vegetation.
    • The jungle vegetation was so rank it was almost impassable.
    • The garden was overgrown with rank weeds.
    • Rank grass covered the abandoned field.
Synonyms
verb
  1. To assign a position or place in a scale or order.
    • This university ranks among the top ten in the world.
    • The judges will rank the contestants from best to worst.
    • We need to rank our priorities before making a decision.
  2. To have a particular position in a ranking.
    • His novel ranks as one of the best of the decade.
    • The city ranks high in quality of life surveys.
    • She ranks third in the national tennis tournament.
noun
  1. A position in a hierarchy or scale, especially in the military or an organization.
    • The soldiers saluted officers of higher rank.
    • He holds a high rank in the company's management team.
    • She achieved the rank of captain after ten years of service.
  2. A line or row of people or things, especially soldiers standing side by side.
    • The troops stood in neat ranks on the parade ground.
    • Ranks of chairs were set up for the outdoor concert.
    • The protesters formed a rank across the street.
  3. A social class or level of status.
    • People from all ranks of society attended the festival.
    • She married a man of lower rank, which caused a scandal.
    • In that country, rank is often determined by family name.