top-shelf
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of top-shelf
First recorded in 1850–55
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.
Military officials have said the newer initiatives won’t soon replace top-shelf missiles from companies such as Lockheed and RTX, which U.S. forces have used and trained with for decades.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
My answer is in the opening observation about the wealth of top-shelf TV and limited space and hours in a day; in any event, I assure you that these 10 selections are time well spent.
From Salon ● Dec. 17, 2025
While those top-shelf names certainly hold appeal, they aren’t without risk.
From Barron's ● Nov. 13, 2025
Combine that top-shelf writing and musical versatility with a band that’s growing more and more comfortable in its own skin and you end up with Militarie Gun’s new album, “God Save the Gun.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2025
A day in the round for the father who breaks through the top-shelf like a picket-line.
From Unmanned by Oliver, Stephen
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.
