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Meaning & use

climbing the corporate ladder

phrase·Academicinformalbusinessfigurative

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UK/ˈklaɪmɪŋ ðə ˈkɔːpərət ˈlædə/
US/ˈklaɪmɪŋ ðə ˈkɔːrpərət ˈlædər/

Meaning

  1. phraseidiomfigurative

    Gaining promotions and moving to more senior positions within a large company over time.

    Grammar: Verb idiom whose -ing form acts as a noun: climbing the corporate ladder takes years.

    Patterns

    • climb the corporate ladder
    • climb the ladder at something

    Climbing the corporate ladder took her fifteen years of long hours.

    He spent his twenties climbing the corporate ladder at a bank.

    Some people enjoy climbing the corporate ladder, while others prefer a calmer career.

Common combinations

start climbing the corporate ladder
He started climbing the corporate ladder as a junior analyst.
quickly climb the corporate ladder
She quickly climbed the corporate ladder thanks to her results.
top of the corporate ladder
He finally reached the top of the corporate ladder.
bottom of the corporate ladder
She began at the bottom of the corporate ladder.
obsessed with climbing the corporate ladder
He was obsessed with climbing the corporate ladder and rarely saw his family.

Synonyms and how they differ

moving up
Moving up is the simpler everyday phrase, whereas climbing the corporate ladder gives a vivid picture of rank in a large firm.
advancing
Advancing is more formal and does not carry the idea of a ladder of ranks.
rising through the ranks
Rising through the ranks fits any organization like the military, while the corporate ladder is for businesses.

Opposites

falling behindbeing demoted

Word family

climb verb
to go upward
climber noun
someone who climbs, or a person who is ambitious for status
corporate adjective
relating to a large business
ladder noun
steps for climbing, or a series of ranks

Commonly confused: climbing the corporate ladder or social climbing?

climbing the corporate ladder vs social climbing

Social climbing means trying to enter a higher social class, while climbing the corporate ladder is about promotion at work.

Practice

She spent ten years _____ at the bank and became a director.

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