as in excellent
of the very best kind
hoping to impress the new neighbors, she brought a top-shelf wine as a housewarming gift
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of top-shelf
Houston wrecked its opponents with dueling top-shelf edge rushers.
—
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
In true Nordstrom fashion, this sale isn’t just about snagging incredible deals on clothing and accessories—we’ve unearthed some top-shelf skin-care and makeup products, too.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 26 Dec. 2025
That means that Paramount will have few other top-shelf sports assets to bid on and acquire in the medium term.
—Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 4 Dec. 2025
For this recipe, there’s no need to use top-shelf bourbon; stick to less expensive options that get the job done.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for top-shelf
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
In true Nordstrom fashion, this sale isn’t just about snagging incredible deals on clothing and accessories—we’ve unearthed some top-shelf skin-care and makeup products, too.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 26 Dec. 2025
That means that Paramount will have few other top-shelf sports assets to bid on and acquire in the medium term.
—Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 4 Dec. 2025
For this recipe, there’s no need to use top-shelf bourbon; stick to less expensive options that get the job done.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for top-shelf
Recent Examples of Synonyms for top-shelf
Adjective
-
There is some excellent location-shooting in downtown Los Angeles during the climax, seen through the lens of a bodycam or quadcopter or drone camera.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
22 Jan. 2026
-
The soft flannel top and plush faux shearling fleece underside provide excellent heat retention for serious coziness.—
Jacquelyn McGilvray,
PEOPLE,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Among thrash metal’s Big Four, which includes Metallica, Megadeth Slayer, and Anthrax, Megadeth have always stood out for having superb instrumentalists throughout its career.—
Quentin Thane Singer,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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And somehow, all that wackiness has coalesced into a superb and consistently funny TV show, which made USA TODAY's list of the 10 best TV shows of 2025.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Special mention must be made of the in-room minibars, which are terrific, and so extensive that they are contained not within a single small fridge but an entire chest of drawers.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 Jan. 2026
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Lenert made a terrific save on a solid strike by JSerra midfielder Carter Biondolillo, with Lenert diving to his left to make the crucial stop in the second half.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Thank you all for a wonderful discussion.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The team Pep Guardiola built in the early 2010s, combining the wonderful passing of Xavi Hernandez and Andrés Iniesta with the twinkling magic of Lionel Messi, will forever be remembered.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The New York Jets retained first-year coach Aaron Glenn, whose roster was less than stellar, but his coaching mishaps did not help.—
Gladys Louise Tyler,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Before exiting the Mavericks game, Kuminga had scored 10 points in nine minutes and made all three of his shot attempts and each of his four free throws, and was a stellar plus-18 in his short stint.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
There are plenty of great restaurants, but alongside them disappointments.—
Kate Krader,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Another 2022 study from Rutgers University, focused on COVID-19 news, found that greater daily exposure to news about the virus was linked to higher same-day and next-day worry about the pandemic as well as feelings of hopelessness and general worry.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Although a recent visit to Palo Alto’s Taverna was lackluster except for the awesome outdoor décor and cute waiters, its sister ship in Portola Valley is absolutely lovely, and the food more in line with expectation.—
Laura Ness,
Mercury News,
11 Jan. 2026
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The first stop on this retrospective journey is the Cold War, a time marked by scientific breakthroughs that were both awesome and terrifying.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
At the center of the fun is a drug called the Beauty, which can transform the ugliest duckling into the loveliest swan but after a while develops the unfortunate side effect described above, making hotness literal.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Which is to say, very, very lovely indeed.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Top-shelf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/top-shelf. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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