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

At the time, the company was the up-and-coming rideshare company trying to compete with Uber in California, and background checks at the time for both companies were not considered top-tier. — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

By then, top-tier talent has already engaged with faster-moving companies. — Audrey Payne, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026

This group of coordinators faces pressure to succeed this season, but none has a top-tier quarterback. — Mike Sando, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

First Light has been critically-well received, but, lacking a platform at one of the top-tier A-list fests, the film has been largely overlooked in the awards conversation so far. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above