top-tier

adjective

ˈtäp-ˈtir 

: of the highest level or rank with regard to quality, reputation, or importance

Top-tier wines are the result of artisanal production techniques that demand rigorous attention to detail and, on occasion, financial sacrifice.

—Daniel Sogg

In general, the top-tier schools measure their success by the salaries that their graduates earn …

—Peter Baida

… leave fellow Republicans open to attack on what's shaping up as a top-tier issue in the 2008 elections.

—Mark Hertsgaard

Yes, this Kansas team is loaded with top-tier talent …

—Joe Posnanski

Kemp's first objective, his handlers said, was to establish himself as a top-tier contender.

—Lucy Howard>

Examples of top-tier in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In a coaching market where LSU, Penn State, Florida and Auburn are already searching, FSU faced the prospect of paying tens of millions to start over while jumping into a carousel where the best candidates will command top-tier deals. —D’joumbarey Moreau, Miami Herald, 25 Nov. 2025

With the holidays fast approaching and heightened prices a top-tier concern for consumers, the administration is also campaigning to disabuse the public of the notion that tariffs are fueling inflation at retail. —Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 25 Nov. 2025

Its coveted location at the foot of Aspen Mountain, nestled between the gondola and Lift 1A, puts guests steps from both top-tier skiing and Aspen’s best shopping and dining. —Siobhan Reid, Vogue, 25 Nov. 2025

There are no broad signs of panic in credit, with many of the sales so far having come from top-tier names. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 24 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above