rise through the ranks

rise through the ranks — phrasal verb

  • rise through the ranksbase form
  • rises through the ranks3rd person singular
  • rising through the ranks-ing form
  • rose through the rankspast simple
  • risen through the rankspast participle

1. to move from a low-level position in an organisation to more senior roles over t

1.片語動詞不及物B2
釋義

to move from a low-level position in an organisation to more senior roles over time, usually by working hard and improving your skills

例句

Lauren rose through the ranks from intern to marketing director in just seven years.

from [low role] to [high role] pattern

Trang rose through the ranks at the publishing house from proofreader to senior editor.

at [organisation] from [low] to [high]

同義詞
  • climb the ladder

    less formal, interchangeable in most contexts, but often used for corporate rather than military settings

  • work one's way up

    more general, can describe progress without a fixed hierarchy, and takes a direct object with 'from'

文法句型

rise through the ranks of [organisation]

rise through the ranks in [field/industry]

rise through the ranks at [company]

用法筆記

This phrase is typically used with a named person or role as the subject. The organisation must be structured with clear levels of authority — common contexts include corporations, the military, government agencies, and hospitals. Always intransitive; the active form is the only grammatical option.

常見錯誤

She was risen through the ranks by the company.
She rose through the ranks at the company.
💡'rise' is an irregular intransitive verb; it cannot be used in the passive voice.
He rised through the ranks very fast.
He rose through the ranks very fast.
💡The past tense of 'rise' is 'rose', not 'rised'.