top dog
Americannoun
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a person, group, or nation that has acquired a position of highest authority.
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the winner of a competition or rivalry; champion.
He was determined to be top dog at the swimming meet.
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Animal Behavior. the alpha male or alpha female in a dominance hierarchy.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of top dog
First recorded in 1885–1900
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.
He noted that Nvidia remains the “clear top dog in AI chips,” and CEO Jensen Huang is likely to “remind the market who’s in charge” when the company posts fourth-quarter earnings tomorrow.
From Barron's ● Feb. 24, 2026
Some of Mamdani’s predecessors, like Bill de Blasio, preferred to be the top dog at the mayoral residence and remained petless.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 2, 2026
Berkshire Hathaway announced on Monday a number of changes at the top of the management pyramid, just weeks before Warren Buffett is set to retire as the top dog.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 8, 2025
He was the top dog in the division.
From BBC ● Mar. 22, 2025
Supposedly, he’s the top dog in his field.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
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.
