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

Being top dog on the local council, however, is not the same as world domination. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 2 July 2026

To pick the top dog, Wirecutter's Katie Quinn and Kathleen Squires joined forces with chef José Andrés founder of World Central Kitchen, to judge the regional specialties. — Zachary Fletcher, USA Today, 30 June 2026

McKenna was the top dog in the 2026 draft class for several years, and his one solid season at Penn State just solidified that. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 June 2026

New this year are increased tire sizes—34-inch Goodyears on the non-X truck and 35-inchers on the top dog—as well as Multimatic Jounce Control Dampers to accompany the DSSV units that make the X and Silverado ZR2 so special. — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 25 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for top dog

• agog
• backlog
• bulldog
• bullfrog
• eclogue
• eggnog
• groundhog
• hedgehog
• leapfrog
• prolog
• sheepdog
• watchdog