idiom · neutral

climb the (career) ladder

UK/klaɪm ðə ˈkærɪə ˌlædə/US/klaɪm ðə ˈkɛriər ˌlædər/CLIMB·the·(CA·reer)·LAD·der

speakingtask2

to move up to higher and better positions at work or in society

Examples

Band 8 sentence

Through persistent training and strategic networking, he gradually climbed the career ladder to become the company's chief operating officer.

Collocations

  • climb the career ladder quickly/slowly
  • climb the social ladder

Word family

climb the career ladder verb phraseclimbed the ladder verb phrase (past)climbing the ladder verb phrase (continuous)

Common mistakes

climb career ladderclimb the career ladder

go up the ladderclimb the ladder

Say it for a higher band

5get promoted6move up7+climb the (career) ladder

Synonyms

move up

get promoted

Easily confused

get promoted

After three years she finally got promoted to senior manager.

Related words

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In Success

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