top brass

noun

Informal.

1. brass.

top brass

noun

1. informal,  (functioning as plural) the most important or high-ranking officials or leaders, as in politics, industry, etc See also brass

Word History and Origins

Origin of top brass¹

An Americanism dating back to 1935–40

Idioms and Phrases

see under brass hat.

Example Sentences

The decision to have him host “SNL” in 2015 was controversial at the time, but NBC’s top brass defended the move, citing his front-runner status among Republicans and the high ratings it produced.

From Los Angeles Times

According to sources familiar with the matter, the orders were issued earlier this week and have caused alarm and confusion among the nation’s top brass.

From Salon

“I think you see them losing their souls on TV,” Jones said of the FBI’s top brass.

From Salon

After the Palisades fire ignited, top brass at the Los Angeles Fire Department were quick to say that they were hampered by broken fire engines and a lack of mechanics to fix them.

From Los Angeles Times

"The Chancellor has repeatedly refused to rule out another tax raid in the autumn, and now we know why - Labour's top brass, including the Deputy Prime Minister, want to come back for more."

From BBC

Related Words

• administration 
• administrator 
• boss 
• chief 
• commander 
• director 
• entrepreneur 
• government 
• leader 
• management 
• manager 
• officer 
• official 
• supervisor