atop

adverb or adjective

\ ə-ˈtäp

\

Definition of atop

(Entry 1 of 2)

: on, to, or at the top

atop

preposition

Definition of atop (Entry 2 of 2)

: on top of

Examples of atop in a Sentence

Preposition

The house sits atop a cliff overlooking the ocean.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb or adjective

Until November 21st, use the offer code VERGE25 at checkout to take 25 percent off of your purchase, which stacks atop of 1More’s current promotion for even more savings. — Cameron Faulkner, The Verge, "Save 25 percent on headphones from 1More," 8 Nov. 2018 Country star Jason Aldean is set to bow atop next week’s Billboard 200 chart with his latest album, Rearview Town, according to industry forecasters. — Keith Caulfield, Billboard, "Jason Aldean's 'Rearview Town' Aiming for No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart," 17 Apr. 2018 The house of cards that Desna sits atop is going to crumble, but who will come out victorious as the top boss? — Nina Metz, chicagotribune.com, "‘Claws’ Episode 5 recap: 5 things to know about ‘Vaginalologist’ and the good doctor’s betrayal," 9 July 2018 Further, aluminum makers must pay a mysterious fee atop all U.S. orders: the Midwest Premium, which is said to cover the cost of transporting, storing and delivering the metal. — Pete Coors, WSJ, "In a Trade War, It’s Hard to Get a Head," 14 May 2018 Even the visual aspect of the show was scaled way back, kept to four small banks of stage lights set behind the players and a small silvery platform that all the musicians stood atop. — Robert Ham, Billboard, "Haim Brings Charm and Enthusiasm to Sister Sister Sister Tour Opener in Portland," 4 Apr. 2018 The hip-hop artist's second studio effort, ?, could debut atop next week's list with over 115,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending March 22. — Keith Caulfield, Billboard, "XXXTentacion's '?' Aiming for No. 1 Debut on Billboard 200 Albums Chart," 19 Mar. 2018 For a delightful hors d'oeuvre, combine chopped cherry tomatoes with fresh tarragon and slivers of Parmesan cheese; spoon atop thick rectangles of country bread and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. — Country Living, "How to Grow Tomatoes from Seeds," 5 Mar. 2018 Victoria’s Secret for underthings, and American Eagle for what goes atop. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, "When Malls Saved the Suburbs From Despair," 17 Feb. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Preposition

Even while Timothée Chalamet rose to prominence, Bieber retained his perch atop the celebrity ecosystem in 2018, delivering drama, romance, public tears, and impromptu musical performances outside a palace. — Michelle Ruiz, Vogue, "The Drama, the Romance, the Public Tears: This Was the Year in Justin Bieber," 20 Dec. 2018 Stop by the Musée Matisse, shop around Le Cours Saleya's flea, flower, and food market, and be sure to grab a glass of wine (and Instagram) Le Plongeoir, a restaurant perched atop a rock formation in the sea. — Condé Nast Traveler, "La Compagnie Flight Deal: Business Class to the French Riviera for $1,200," 4 Dec. 2018 Come January, he will be gone from his potent perch atop the Appropriations subcommittee responsible for funding the government's Commerce, Science, and Justice divisions. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "A congressman’s loss clouds the future of two demanding missions to Europa," 3 Dec. 2018 At the protests, Palestinians burn tires, hurl rocks and sometimes firebombs at Israeli forces and snipers perched atop earthen mounds behind the boundary fence. — Fox News, "Gaza protests escalate after deal to ease blockade fails," 19 Sep. 2018 Snipers perched atop a nearby tower overlooking the vast property. — Jill Colvin, BostonGlobe.com, "Before Putin meeting, Trump blames predecessor for election meddling," 14 July 2018 The Pearl boasts more than 100 floors, dragon-like architectural motifs, a beautiful indoor garden and a huge sphere perched atop its 3,000-foot frame. — Justin Chang, latimes.com, "Dwayne Johnson scales the heights in the thrillingly dumb 'Skyscraper'," 11 July 2018 In doing so, Cincinnati (10-3-5, 35 points) steadied its perch atop the Eastern Conference, creating a four-point gap between it and second-place Pittsburgh Riverhounds. — Scott Winfield, Cincinnati.com, "ICYMI: FC Cincinnati ties soon-to-be MLS rival, three Cincinnati Reds named MLB All-Stars," 9 July 2018 Napoli are understood to see Meret as their first choice stopper moving forward, as Carlo Ancelotti plots his move to topple Juventus from their perch atop of the Italy's first division. — SI.com, "Napoli Announce Signing of Highly Rated Italian Shot Stopper Alex Meret From Udinese," 5 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'atop.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about atop

Dictionary Entries near atop

at/on someone's suggestion

Statistics for atop

Last Updated

18 Nov 2018

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for atop

The first known use of atop was in 1638

See more words from the same year

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for atop

atop

preposition

English Language Learners Definition of atop

: on top of

See the full definition for atop in the English Language Learners Dictionary

atop

preposition

\ ə-ˈtäp

\

Kids Definition of atop

: on top of The castle sits atop a cliff.

Keep scrolling for more

WORD OF THE DAY

farouche

marked by shyness and lack of polish

Test Your Vocabulary

Liar, Liar Quiz

Someone who pretends to be sick in order to avoid work is a:

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games