top-shelf
adjective
1
: of the best quality
top-shelf products
Reading does have one top-shelf tourist attraction, a gorgeous pagoda that sits atop a mountain.—
Joe Queenan
Joe Queenan2
[from the placement of sexually explicit magazines for sale on high shelves out of the reach of children] British
: containing pornographic material
top-shelf magazines
This year, retailers are going to come under increased pressure to clean up their acts. Of course, they're not obliged to sell top-shelf mags.—The Grocer
The GrocerExamples of top-shelf in a Sentence
hoping to impress the new neighbors, she brought a top-shelf wine as a housewarming gift
Recent Examples on the Web
While not tack-sharp like its GT4 sibling, the GTS features steering response that’s a top-shelf lesson in basic physics; low weight, low CG, and having all the weight centered between the axles makes for an authentically engaging experience.
—Peter Nelson, Robb Report, 1 Oct. 2025
Jump up the wage scale to the 90th percentile and California’s $123,500 wage at these top-shelf positions translates to 28% of pay going toward the state’s median house payment.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 29 Sep. 2025
Lock in with the Liberty for the national star power and top-shelf appeal: Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, Big Ellie.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
That means that Paramount will have few other top-shelf sports assets to bid on and acquire in the mid-term.
—Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
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Peter Nelson, Robb Report, 1 Oct. 2025
Jump up the wage scale to the 90th percentile and California’s $123,500 wage at these top-shelf positions translates to 28% of pay going toward the state’s median house payment.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 29 Sep. 2025
Lock in with the Liberty for the national star power and top-shelf appeal: Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, Big Ellie.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
That means that Paramount will have few other top-shelf sports assets to bid on and acquire in the mid-term.
—Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for top-shelf
Cite this Entry
“Top-shelf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top-shelf. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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