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

After a day filled with masterclasses, mingling, injectable appointments, and top-tier goodie bags at Allure’s Best of Beauty Live, the team did it all again for a nighttime session at Halo Twenty Eight in Manhattan’s Financial District. — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 19 Oct. 2026

To be fair, the Raiders faced three top-tier quarterbacks in Patrick Mahomes, Drake Maye and Josh Allen. — ABC News, 19 Oct. 2026

The company is also in the process of forming partnerships with several top-tier game publishers, including Capcom, EA, Sega, and Ubisoft. — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2026

Now in its second year, the event will showcase the talents of 13 restaurants from around the state, including classic and contemporary barbecue spots and top-tier taquerías. — Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 17 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above