TOPS Synonyms: 121 Similar and Opposite Words

tops 1 of 2

noun

Definition of tops

plural of top

as in lids

a piece placed over an open container to hold in, protect, or conceal its contents make sure the top is on the blender before you turn it on or you'll make a mess

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in pinnacles

the highest part or point a hawk's nest at the very top of the tree

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tops

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of top

as in exceeds

to be greater, better, or stronger than the next contender's javelin throw topped the reigning champion's and set a new world record

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

loses (to)

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of tops

Noun

Create your athleisure look with jackets, tops, sports bras, leggings and more, all boasting optimal coverage. — ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026 Some traders also claim Bitcoin’s recent good news could be short-lived, given the four-year cycle theory, which holds that Bitcoin’s bear market lows and bull market tops tend to occur in four year increments. — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026 Best Vuori Top Deals From practical performance wear to elevated going-out tops, Vuori’s sale section is stocked with tanks, sweaters, and shirts that will help stretch your travel wardrobe further. — Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 3 Sep. 2026 Bra bands that dig in and have minimal side coverage can create bulges under your tops and dresses, but this under-$20 Warners style does the opposite, according to shoppers. — Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026 Over time, the shakers can accumulate cooking splatters from nearby stovetop action, grease, and fingerprints from handling, and even dust and airborne particles that settle on the tops. — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2026 The orange and red blobs in the satellite view above show storms with the coldest and tallest cloud tops that are likely raining. — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 Cover loosely with cloths and let rise again; when dough has risen, place pans in preheated 350-degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until tops of loaves are light brown. — Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 Over the Fourth of July weekend, a series of storms skimmed the south of the city, pummeling Coney Island and the Rockaways with sand and sending beach umbrellas spinning like tops. — Matthew Schneier, Curbed, 27 Aug. 2026

Verb

That Louisiana courtroom might not be the answer, either, if a federal ruling from the SEC’s suit tops one from a state court. — Matt Baker, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 Think handbags that can carry into fall, tops that work beneath a jacket, and accessories that give summer staples a fresh lease on life. — Camila Quimper, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2026 There’s also the caramel corn cold brew, which takes cold brew coffee and tops it with caramel sweet cream and a few pieces of caramel popcorn. — Megan Dubois, Southern Living, 2 Sep. 2026 The Bronx still tops the list with residents dying of overdose at double the rate of Manhattanites. — Nathalia Fernandez, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026 Burns said a panel of judges selected by the library reads each entry and then comes to a consensus on which piece tops the list, as well as what finished second and third. — Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 Gibson tops the area’s Top 100 players to watch list after rushing for 2,263 yards and 41 touchdowns as a junior. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Aug. 2026 Yes, the beloved Loony Tunes icon stars in a terrific new comedy that tops our roundup of what this weekend. — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026 Pecan tops this year’s fall flavor preferences ranking for growth, but pumpkin, maple and apple remain the flavors chains are pouring the most resources into, based on the DoorDash trend report. — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tops

Noun

Employees beverages without lids were on prep tables; beverages were thrown away.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Sep. 2026
The process eliminates the water-slurry stage and associated drying steps, allowing fibers to form directly into rigid packaging, including trays, bowls, plates and beverage lids.

— Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of lids

Noun

Fourteen years earlier, his debut feature, Ossessione, had effectively birthed Italian neorealism, and Visconti had followed it up with La Terra Trema (1948), one of the absolute pinnacles of the movement.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 24 July 2026
The Ed Sullivan Theater, which first opened in 1927, is a 13-story shadow box preserving bits from a rich history of pop culture pinnacles past.

— Edward Segarra, USA Today, 2 July 2026

Definition of pinnacles

Verb

The number of people confirmed killed after propulsive landslides tore through the Nepal-China border on Wednesday now exceeds 900.

— Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
The goal is to collect a total net credit that at least matches or exceeds the width of the call spread such that even an extraordinary upside move would not result in a loss.

— Michael Khouw, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of exceeds

Noun

The zoning change would be necessary to build a development of that scale because local zoning guidelines for the downtown area cap building heights at four stories.

— Alexandra Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Now, 15 years later, Cook has catapulted the company to stratospheric heights by forging his own path.

— Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of heights

Verb

The All-Pro defensive tackle agrees to a six-year, $135-million deal, which surpasses Von Miller’s contract in Denver as the new benchmark for defenders.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
In a recent report, Wells Fargo said the pipeline of GLP-1 weight-loss medications now surpasses cancer drugs as the most valuable category of products on the horizon.

— Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of surpasses

Noun

The average earnings growth of Nifty 50 companies was 11% in the June quarter, while mid-caps reported 31% growth from a year ago, according to data shared with CNBC by Indian broking firm Ambit Capital.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
Most videos across the network were titled with the name of a Democratic politician, followed by an all-caps verb highlighting a negative economic story, a recent scandal, or alleged corruption.

— Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of caps

Noun

The peaks are dark and snow-capped, the valleys deep and glacial.

— Holden Frith, TheWeek, 4 Sep. 2026
Here, age-old traditions fuse with contemporary flavors, archaeological marvels meet modernist museums, rugged peaks are juxtaposed against verdant plains, and stretches of sandy shorelines lead to charming inland villages.

— Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026