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

A veteran of 25 missions from 1992 to 2011, Endeavour arrived in L.A. in 2012 during a widely watched journey atop a modified Boeing 747, followed by a slow procession through city streets.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

The Paracel and Spratly Islands are also believed to sit atop stores of natural resources and potential energy reserves.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

The dwelling offers exclusive access to “one of the most private and coveted beaches in Malibu,” as well as spectacular views of the ocean courtesy of its perch atop a cliffside.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

It’s “yet another advantage IBM can bring to bear in enabling, scaling, and governing production AI systems that will necessarily need to be scaffolded atop existing IT architectures,” Boolani wrote.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

And sitting atop it is a new pencil, freshly sharpened.

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish