top-down
Americanadjective
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relating to, originating with, or directed by those of highest rank.
a centralized, top-down organization with a chain of command reporting up from every corner of the earth.
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organized or proceeding from the larger, more general structure to smaller, more detailed units, as in processing information.
Top-down investing looks at the big picture, or how the overall economy drives the markets, and then focuses on individual stocks.
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Computers. noting or relating to a methodology used in the design and coding of programs that takes a high-level description of a problem and successively breaks it into smaller and simpler subunits.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of top-down
First recorded in 1940–45; 1970–75 top-down for def. 3; adjective use of the adverb phrase “from the top down ”
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.
The programme's model is "likely better for both environmental and social impacts than an unincentivised, top-down conservation project design," said researcher Paul Ferraro of the US-based Johns Hopkins University.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
In a separate note, Bank of America analysts said the top-down consensus of strategists for 2027 EPS was $392.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
Tuchel's top-down approach differed greatly from Southgate's bottom-up approach, which partly explains Tuchel feeling Southgate's side lacked identity, clarity, rhythm or repeated patterns.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026
The reporting of quarterly earnings, notes corporate finance expert Owen Lamont of Acadian Asset Management, was “a bottom-up historical phenomenon reflecting voluntary arrangements between firms and investors, not a top-down phenomenon imposed by law.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
The decision bore the hallmarks of his overarching ambition: a top-down approach, beginning with the most complex and variant traits conceivable—intelligence, temperament, physical prowess, height.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
