top-line

1 of 2

adjective

1
a
: most featured or prominently advertised : leading
… its oldest top-line act, the Rolling Stones, has long been taken as a symbol of the excesses of rock's nightmare side.Ethan Mordden
b
: of the highest quality, level, or degree : top-of-the-line
The lauded ladies received top-line Southern hospitality …Tim Allis
The new chips may well make moderately priced workhorse computers—the type many people buy—perform more like today's top-line models.Consumer Reports
2
business : relating to or concerned with gross sales or revenue
For real value creation, the merged company has to produce top-line growth and better margins through superior offerings to customers.Geoffrey Colvin

top line

2 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly topline
plural top lines also toplines
1
business : the line at the top of a financial report that shows gross sales or revenue before the deduction of expenses or losses
The top line is weak, with a meager 0.3% sales gain last year, to $669 million, which doesn't even keep up with inflation.Jack Gage
When I first started writing about business, earnings stories focused on two numbers: sales (the top line on a company's income statement) and net income (the bottom line, after deducting all expenses including taxes).Kathleen Pender
compare bottom line sense 2a
2
usually topline : the outline of the top of the body of an animal (such as a dog or horse)
A long-legged, long-moving individual with long topline is considered the optimum type for the horse show.Linda Connors

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Negotiators reached a tentative agreement on Saturday evening that would raise the debt ceiling for two years, roll back non-defense discretionary spending to Fiscal Year 2022 levels, and cap top-line federal spending to one-percent annual growth over the next six years. Emily Jacobs, Washington Examiner, 28 May 2023 Yzerman chose forward Lucas Raymond, a skilled winger with top-line capabilities. Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press, 9 May 2023 The centerfielder’s top-line stats are brutal: A .192/.257/.333 slash line; negative-0.2 WAR. The Arizona Republic, 9 May 2023 Akili Interactive on Wednesday revealed earlier-than-expected top-line clinical trial results suggesting its video game treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is effective for adults. Mario Aguilar, STAT, 3 May 2023 Analysts from Boston Consulting Group found that by redirecting 25% of promotional budgets to personalized offers, retailers could increase their return on investment (ROI) by 200%, equating to top-line growth of $70 billion in annual revenue. Simon Bird, Forbes, 3 May 2023 The Kings also need production from Danault, top-line winger Quinton Byfield, and their third and fourth lines. Helene Elliott, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2023 DeBrusk rescinds trade request, and Sweeney’s trades are home runs The 2022-23 season offered a clean slate for DeBrusk, who rescinded his standing trade request following Boston’s coaching reshuffle and rewarded his team with 27 goals over 64 games as a top-line winger. Conor Ryan, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Apr. 2023 Marchand’s goal, which provided the 1-0 lead, was his first since March 9, ending a 16-game drought for the top-line left winger. Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'top-line.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1869, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of top-line was in 1869

Dictionary Entries Near top-line

Cite this Entry

“Top-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top-line. Accessed 8 Jun. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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