ladder

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: adder, madder, lander, larder, gadder, lauder, ladler, lader, radder, cladder, bladder

Antonyms: adder, madder, lander, larder, gadder, lauder, ladler, lader, radder, cladder, bladder

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Noun

1. {{senseid|en|frame for ascent}} 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 [[step#Noun|steps]]).
2. {{lb|en|figuratively}} A series of [[stage#Noun|stages]] by which one [[progress#Verb|progresses]] to a better position.
3. {{lb|en|figuratively}} The [[hierarchy]] or [[ranking]] system within an [[organization]], such as the [[corporate ladder]].
4. {{senseid|en|knit}} {{lb|en|chiefly|Britain}} A length of [[unravelled]] fabric in a [[knitted]] [[garment]], especially in [[nylon]] [[stocking]]s; a {{l|en|run|id=knit}}.
5. {{lb|en|game of go}} A [[sequence]] of [[move#Noun|moves]] following a [[zigzag]] [[pattern]] and ultimately leading to the [[capture]] of the attacked [[stone]]s.
6. {{lb|en|Australia|NZ|sports}} A [[league table]].

Verb

1. To arrange or form into a shape of a ladder.
2. {{lb|en|chiefly|firefighting}} To [[ascend]] (a building, a wall, etc.) using a ladder.
3. {{senseid|en|to knit}} Of a knitted garment: to develop a {{l|en|ladder|id=knit}} as a result of a [[broken]] [[thread]].
4. {{lb|en|UK|naval|_|slang}} To close in on a target with successive salvos, increasing or decreasing the shot range as necessary.
5. {{lb|en|UK|police|of a police officer}} To [[corruptly]] [[coerce]] a convicted [[offender]] to admit to [[offence to be taken into consideration|offences to be taken into consideration]] which they do not actually believe they committed, as a way to [[artificially]] increase the rate of [[solved]] crimes.

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.