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

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

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above