top-line

1 of 2

adjective

ˈtäp-ˌlīn 

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

ˈtäp-ˌlīn 

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

Examples of top-line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

It’s stocked with equipment not offered in some competitors’ top-line trims. —James Raia, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024

The top-line results are perhaps unsurprising, particularly given they are based on the thoughts of managers, who have traditionally been less sold on the idea of remote work compared with their subordinates. —Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 5 Apr. 2024

The men’s college product is full of prospects, but light on stars with top-line pro potential. —Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024

Since then, Tesla’s top-line growth has been gangbusters, seemingly proving the general consumer was ready for EVs and that Tesla’s unorthodox production methods had paid off. —Paolo Confino, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024

The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin April 20. 700 for Barkov Panthers captain and top-line center Aleksander Barkov hit yet another milestone last week. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024

As a top-line performance SUV, BMW has loaded up the Label Red with safety features. —James Raia, The Mercury News, 31 Mar. 2024

This requires a leadership strategy that combines exceptional top-line performance with clear and focused communication that prioritizes the needs of a company regardless of its prominence and status. —Jim Osman, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

The top-line results released Tuesday were only from a Phase 1 study, which primarily focuses on a drug’s safety. —Andrew Joseph, STAT, 26 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1869, in the meaning defined at sense 2