number one
Americannoun
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oneself, especially one's own well-being or interests.
to look out for number one.
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a person, company, etc., that is first in rank, order, or prestige.
Our team is number one.
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urination: used especially by or with reference to children.
adjective
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of the highest in quality, status, importance, etc.; first-rate.
a number one performance.
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first in rank, order, or prestige.
the number one book on the bestseller list.
idioms
noun
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the first in a series or sequence
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an informal phrase for oneself myself
to look after number one
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informal the most important person; leader, chief
he's number one in the organization
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informal the bestselling pop record in any one week
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euphemistic the act or an instance of urination
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a haircut in which the hair is cut very close to the head with an electric shaver
adjective
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first in importance, urgency, quality, etc
number one priority
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informal (of a pop record) having reached the top of the charts
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of number one
First recorded in 1830–40
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.
“If I look at people 40 and under…their number one problem is they can’t afford housing,” he said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
The song hit number one on the UK charts in 1974 when the band, known for its uniform of white suits, performed on Top of the Pops.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
World number one Luke Littler threw a thrilling nine-darter as he booked his place in the quarter-finals of the World Matchplay with a 11-8 win over Nathan Aspinall.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
She earned her first UK number one in 2024 with That's So True, a single from the deluxe edition of her second album, The Secret Of Us.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
The radio announcer said it was a number one top hit.
From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
