atop

American  

[uh-top] / əˈtɒp /

adjective

1. on or at the top.

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preposition

1. on the top of.

   atop the flagpole.

atop British  

/ əˈtɒp /

adverb

1. on top; at the top

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preposition

1. on top of; at the top of

Etymology

Origin of atop

First recorded in 1650–60; a- ¹ + top ¹

Explanation

Use the adverb atop when something is on the top of something else. You could say, for example, "I'm standing atop of the chicken coop, getting ready to jump in that pile of leaves." The word atop is somewhat old fashioned, but it's still a good way to describe being at the very top of something. You might live atop of the highest hill in town, or enjoy looking out your window to watch birds land atop of the garage. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the word was spelled with a hyphen: a-top. It took its current form, atop, in the nineteenth century.

Example Sentences

One of the most comically disastrous franchises of the past quarter-century has climbed atop the mountain.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 14, 2026

Babydoll dresses are not the reason that the full-scale disempowerment of women and girls sits atop a checklist of government priorities.

From Salon • Jun. 12, 2026

Instead of displaying Mexican soccer team players’ faces, the group’s cards feature the faces of missing relatives atop the Mexican national team’s uniforms.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

There is almost no advertising, with an occasional exception like Apple putting a banner atop the page to get you to tune in to Apple TV for something.

From Slate • Jun. 10, 2026

Christopher stared as a phoenix came to roost atop a lamppost; nobody looked twice.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell