top-tier

American

[top-teer] / ˈtɒpˈtɪər /

adjective

of or among the highest rank, level, importance, or quality.

It was again named the top-tier exterior house paint.
She was sought after by three top-tier college basketball teams.

Etymology

Origin of top-tier

First recorded in 1940–45; top ¹ ( def. ) + tier ¹ ( def. )

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.

“Devon Energy will be strongly positioned to deliver top-tier capital efficiency gains and consistent profitable per share growth through the commodity cycles.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Delivery remains one of the largest cost centers in China’s consumer economy, especially as same-day and instant-retail expectations spread beyond top-tier cities.

From Barron's

While that crowd won’t have the cash for the top-tier $6,900 badge, Sundance already offers cheaper passes for cineastes between 18 and 25.

From Los Angeles Times

At least they’re not going to pay for a private, top-tier college without financial aid.

From MarketWatch

The last time Styles played at Wembley, in 2023, prices ranged from £50.65 to £326.20 before fees, meaning top-tier tickets now cost £140 more.

From BBC

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