rank
/ˈɹeɪ̯ŋk/adjective, noun, verb
rank is spelled R-A-N-K: 4 letters and one syllable. It appears 28 times per million words in written English, the 3,364th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, rank means “Having a very strong, bad taste or odor” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in rank?
| Letters | 4: R-A-N-K |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 |
| In writing | 28 times per million words; the 3,364th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is rank?
Rank appears 28 times per million words in written English, the 3,364th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce rank?
- /ˈɹæŋk/
- [ˈɹʷæŋk]
- US /ˈɹeɪ̯ŋk/
Rank has one syllable.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-rank.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with rank?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as rank from its last stressed vowel (/eɪŋk/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: karn, nark.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of rank
- ranker comparative
- more rank comparative
- rankest superlative
- most rank superlative
- ranks plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- ranking participle, present
- ranked participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does rank mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
obsoleteStrong in growth; growing with vigour or rapidity, hence, coarse or gross.
rank grass
- 2
obsoleteCausing strong growth; producing luxuriantly; rich and fertile.
rank land
- 3
obsoleteSuffering from overgrowth or hypertrophy; plethoric.
- 4
obsoleteStrong to the senses; offensive; noisome.
- 5
informalobsoleteGross, disgusting, foul.
- 6
obsoleteHeadstrong; difficult to control.
If Safford happens to be driving a "rank" horse, one that insists on getting away fast, he goes along with the rest, […]
- 7
Having a very strong, bad taste or odor.
Your gym clothes are rank, bro – when'd you last wash 'em?
- 8
complete, unmitigated, utter.
rank treason
noun
- 1
A row of people or things organized in a grid pattern, often soldiers.
The front rank kneeled to reload while the second rank fired over their heads.
- 2
One of the eight horizontal lines of squares on a chessboard (i.e., those identified by a number).
- 3
The value of a playing card.
The ranks are 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace.
- 4
In a pipe organ, a set of pipes of a certain quality for which each pipe corresponds to one key or pedal.
- 5
One's position in a list sorted by a shared property such as physical location, population, popularity, or quality.
Based on your test scores, you have a rank of 23.
- 6
The level of one's position in a class-based society.
- 7
A category of people, such as those who share an occupation or belong to an organisation.
a membership drawn from the ranks of wealthy European businessmen
- 8
A hierarchical level in an organization such as the military.
Private First Class (PFC) is the second-lowest rank in the Marines.
verb
- 1
To place abreast or in a line.
- 2
To have a ranking.
Their defense ranked third in the league.
- 3
To assign a suitable place in a class or order; to classify.
- 4
USTo take the rank of; to outrank.
adverb
- 1
obsoleteQuickly, eagerly, impetuously.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Rank in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| German | geil , stinkend , ekelhaft , Reihe , Rang, Dienstgrad |
| French | malodorant, rance , rangée , rang , registre , ranger |
| Portuguese | rançoso , repugnante , fileira, coluna , quadro , posição |
| Spanish | rancio , repugnante , rango , fila , grado , clasificar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does rank come from?
From Middle English rank (“strong, proud”), from Old English ranc (“proud, haughty, arrogant, insolent, forward, overbearing, showy, ostentatious, splendid, bold, valiant, noble, brave, strong, full-grown, mature”), from Proto-West Germanic *rank, from Proto-Germanic *rankaz (“straight”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- (“straight, direct”). Cognate with Dutch rank (“slender, slim”), Low German rank (“slender, projecting, lank”), Danish rank (“straight, erect, slender”), Swedish rank (“slender, shaky, wonky”), Icelandic rakkur (“straight, slender, bold, valiant”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).