A list

American

noun

a group of desirable or admired people who are welcomed especially in social and professional situations.

Hollywood's A list turned out for the Oscars.

adjective

Also A-list pertaining to or being in an A list; prominent.

A list British

noun

Compare B list
1. the most socially desirable category
2. ( as modifier )
  
  an A-list event

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of A list

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

A list

A list of all the candidates standing in Makerfield is available here.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

Coogler's rapid ascent onto Hollywood's A list was hardly likely back when he was intending to major in chemistry at college.

From Barron's ● Mar. 16, 2026

A list of the world’s most misunderstood creatures includes sharks, bats and us—at least when we talk about our careers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 11, 2025

A list of commissioners grew like plants after a rainstorm, the Master Chorale being one, along with several Southern California new music patrons.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 19, 2025

A list handed out to us on our last day by the personnel department showed that it was purely a matter of numbers.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023