climb the ladder

verb

To advance one's career, social status, or position in life or a situation.

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Meanings

verbclimb the ladder (third-person singular simple present climbs the ladder, present participle climbing the ladder, simple past and past participle climbed the ladder)

present singular third person climbs the ladder · participle present climbing the ladder · participle past climbed the ladder · past climbed the ladder · alternative climb up the ladder

  1. idiomaticTo advance one's career, social status, or position in life or a situation.
Cite this entry
APA

climb the ladder. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/climb%20the%20ladder

MLA

“climb the ladder.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/climb%20the%20ladder. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “climb the ladder,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/climb%20the%20ladder.

Source: climb the ladder on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.