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

Employees can generally shift their HSA funds into such investments once their account balance exceeds a threshold set by their HSA provider.

— Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2026
The center, which exceeds 14,000 square feet, focuses on serving student-parents but is also open to other community members.

— Lina Ruiz September 4, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of exceeds

Noun

The city advises residents to check things like flowerpots, pet bowls, bird baths, pool covers and other items a couple of times a week for standing water that needs to be dumped.

— Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
The category spans low-risk swaps like cabinet hardware, decorative outlet covers, plug-in lighting, tension rods and static-cling window film, plus higher-risk projects like peel-and-stick wallpaper, accent-wall paint and mounted TVs.

— Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of covers

Noun

Competitors had to lift them onto podiums at different heights in the quickest time possible.

— Rob Tanner, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Rising from an impoverished background to become a celebrated stage star in Romania, the actress and directing debutante has defied all odds to reach the starry heights of the Lido.

— Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of heights

Verb

That surpasses the £244m exchanged between Chelsea and Manchester United, which had previously occupied top spot.

— Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
That put a pause on higher tariffs, which are triggered when trade volume surpasses a certain quota, according to the World Trade Organization.

— Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of surpasses

Noun

Washington has recently toyed with price controls on credit cards through interest-rate caps and restrictions on late fees, as if credit can be made cheaper by government order.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026
That’s attendance, per caps, and overall financial performance.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 9 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