: 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
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What once passed for a successful PR campaign—a feature in a top-tier outlet, a quote in a major paper or a feel-good story in a trade publication—is no longer enough. Chintan Shah, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025 Both electric models received top-tier reviews for their capabilities, thanks to ground clearance, design and powerful electric motors. Charles Singh, USA Today, 9 July 2025 The model was bold: short-form films, top-tier talent and mobile-first viewing. Bogdan Nesvit, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2025 Part of that top-tier hospitality stems from the staff’s ability to maximize every touch point, from leaving a set of paper bookmarks atop a guest’s reading stack to guiding through the local market before a hands-on lesson in creating traditional recipes. Sarah Bruning, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for top-tier

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of top-tier was in 1879

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Cite this Entry

“Top-tier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top-tier. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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