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top dog

noun

: a person, group, or thing in a position of authority especially through victory in a hard-fought competition

Examples of top dog in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The 49ers have just one more loss than the new top dogs in the conference, the surprising Chicago Bears (who visit Levi’s Stadium in late December). Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 30 Nov. 2025 There’s only two grands prix remaining in 2025, and Ferrari doesn’t appear as competitive as the other top dogs. Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 27 Nov. 2025 Soliel and George left the top dogs despite competing against canines with stronger credentials on paper. Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025 The beauty of this situation is the reason a school like Miami schedules a top dog like Florida. Noah White, Miami Herald, 17 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for top dog

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of top dog was in 1900

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Cite this Entry

“Top dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top%20dog. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.

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