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• top
  top

  noun

  the highest or loftiest point or part of anything on a slope; apex; summit.
• top-
  top-

  variant of topo- before a vowel.

top

¹ American  

[top] / tɒp /

noun

1. the highest or loftiest point or part of anything on a slope; apex; summit.

   It's two more miles to the top of the mountain.

   She’s installed a new childproof gate at the top of the stairs.

   Synonyms:

   vertex, pinnacle, peak, acme, zenith

   Antonyms:

   foot, base, bottom

2. the uppermost or upper part, surface, etc., of anything.

   She put her sweaters in a box on the top of the wardrobe.

   The railing is wrought iron with hammered scrollwork along the top.

3. tops,

   1. the part of a plant that grows above ground, especially of an edible root.

      They make a pesto with carrot tops rather than basil.

   2. the small twigs, branches, or shoots of plants.

      Until these logs are stripped of their tops, you’ll have a hard time selling them for firewood.

4. the part of anything that is first or foremost; beginning.

   Let's go over it from the top again.

5. the highest or leading place, position, rank, etc..

   This quarter she's been at the top of the class.

6. the highest point, pitch, or degree.

   You have to talk at the top of your voice to be heard around here.

7. a person or thing that occupies the highest or leading position.

   There's only a handful of musicians producing new work in this genre, and she's the top.

8. the best or choicest part.

   To me, this park is the top of all creation.

9. a covering or lid, as of a container or vehicle.

   Put the top on the pot before the sauce overthickens.

10. any of various outer garments for the upper body, such as a blouse, shirt, or sweater.

    They're having a sale on cotton tops and shorts.

11. the head.

12. British. the farthest point of something relative to a person's position or line of sight.

    Their shop's at the top of the street.

13. British. the highest available gear in an automobile; top gear.

    The car accelerates OK, but power drops off suddenly if I put it into top.

14. Nautical. a platform surrounding the head of a lower mast on a ship, and serving as a foothold, a means of extending the upper rigging, etc.

15. Chemistry. the part of a mixture under distillation that volatilizes first.

16. Bridge.

    1. the best card of a suit in a player's hand.

    2. (in duplicate bridge) the best score on a hand.

17. Sports.

    1. a stroke that hits the ball above its center.

    2. the forward spin given to the ball by such a stroke.

18. Baseball.

    1. the first half of an inning.

    2. the first three batters in the batting order.

19. Slang.

    1. (in the LGBTQ community) a person who prefers to take or is currently taking a penetrative or giving role in a particular sexual act, especially in anal intercourse.

    2. (especially in BDSM) a person who prefers to take or is currently taking a dominant role in a sexual relationship.

20. Textiles.

    1. a cluster of textile fibers, especially tow, put on a distaff for spinning into yarn.

    2. a strand of the long wool fibers in sliver form, separated from the noil by combing and wound into a large ball.

    3. a similar strand of rayon or other synthetic fiber.

21. Jewelry. crown.

22. Informal. tops, the tops, the most outstanding person or thing in ability, favor, etc..

    As a friend, she's the tops.

    If you like small plates and excellent service, this place is tops.

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adjective

1. pertaining to, situated at, or forming the top; highest; uppermost; upper.

   The chocolate chips are on the top shelf.

2. highest in degree; greatest.

   We pay top prices for scrap iron.

3. foremost, chief, or principal.

   She outshone seven other competitors to win top honors in the competition.

verb (used with object)

• tops,
  present (3rd person singular)
• topped,
  past participle,  past
• topping
  present participle

1. to furnish with an upper part or side; put a top on.

   The builders would top the pyramid with a solid granite capstone covered in gold.

2. to be at or constitute the highest or best part of.

   The song topped the charts for three weeks straight.

3. to reach the highest or best part of.

   This German city often tops polls of the most livable city on the planet.

4. to rise above.

   The sun had topped the horizon.

5. to exceed in height, amount, number, etc..

   The service just recently topped its competitors by 1,000 customers.

6. to surpass, excel, or outdo.

   That tops everything.

7. Theater. (in spoken dialogue) to reply in a voice of greater volume or higher pitch.

   King Henry must top the crowd noises in his St. Crispin's Day speech.

8. to surmount with something specified.

   to top a sundae with whipped cream.

9. to remove the top of; crop; prune.

   Always consult a certified arborist before topping a tree.

   Synonyms:

   shear, lop

10. to get or leap over the top of (a fence, barrier, etc.).

    She topped the stone wall in her rush to get to the mare giving birth.

11. Chemistry. to distill off only the most volatile part of (a mixture).

12. Sports.

    1. to strike (the ball) above its center, giving it a forward spin.

    2. to make (a stroke) by hitting the ball in this manner.

13. top-dress.

14. Slang.

    1. (in the LGBTQ community) to do a particular sexual act to (a partner), especially anal intercourse.

    2. (especially in BDSM) to dominate (a sexual partner).

15. Obsolete. to have sexual intercourse with (a woman).

verb (used without object)

• tops,
  present (3rd person singular)
• topped,
  past participle,  past
• topping
  present participle

1. Slang.

   1. (in the LGBTQ community) to take a penetrative or giving role in a particular sexual act, especially in anal intercourse.

   2. (especially in BDSM) to take a dominant role in a sexual relationship or encounter.

verb phrase

1. top out

   1. to finish the top of (a structure).

   2. to reach the highest level.

2. top off

   1. to climax or complete, especially in an exceptional manner; finish.

      They topped off the evening with a ferryboat ride at midnight.

   2. to fill (a partly full container) completely.

      to top off a gas tank.

idioms

1. blow one's top,

   1. to become enraged; lose one's temper.

      She blows her top at the slightest criticism.

   2. to go mad; become insane.

      He must have blown his top to make such a fool of himself.

2. over the top,

   1. Military. over the top of the parapet before a trench, as in issuing to charge against the enemy.

   2. surpassing a goal, quota, or limit.

   3. beyond normal limits; outrageously extreme or excessive.

      His humor is so over the top that it’s embarrassing.

3. on top of the world,

   1. successful.

   2. elated.

      The success made her feel on top of the world.

4. on top, successful; victorious; dominant.

   Our team stayed on top throughout the game.

   After a rough few years, it’s good to see him back on top again.

5. off the top of one's head, head.

6. top oneself, to kill oneself.

7. on top of,

   1. over or upon.

      Just put that box of tissues on top of the fridge.

   2. in addition to; over and above.

      There will be sales tax on top of that price, of course.

   3. close upon; following upon.

      Gale winds came on top of the floods.

   4. in complete control.

      on top of the problem.

top ² American  

[top] / tɒp /

noun

1. a toy, often inversely conical, with a point on which it is made to spin.

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idioms

1. sleep like a top, to sleep soundly.

   After a day of hiking and swimming we slept like tops.

top- ³ American  

1. variant of topo- before a vowel.

   toponym.

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top ¹ British  

/ tɒp /

noun

1. the highest or uppermost part of anything

   the top of a hill

2. the most important or successful position

   to be at the top of the class

   the top of the table

3. the part of a plant that is above ground

   carrot tops

4. a thing that forms or covers the uppermost part of anything, esp a lid or cap

   put the top on the saucepan

5. the highest degree or point

   at the top of his career

6. the most important person

   he's the top of this organization

7. the best or finest part of anything

   we've got the top of this year's graduates

8. the loudest or highest pitch (esp in the phrase top of one's voice )

9. the beginning

   the top of the hour

   at the top of the programme

10. short for top gear

11. cards the highest card of a suit in a player's hand

12. sport

    1. a stroke that hits the ball above its centre

    2. short for topspin

13. a platform around the head of a lower mast of a sailing vessel, the edges of which serve to extend the topmast shrouds

14. chem the part of a volatile liquid mixture that distils first

15. a garment, esp for a woman, that extends from the shoulders to the waist or hips

16. 1. the high-frequency content of an audio signal

    2. ( as modifier )

       this amplifier has a good top response

17. informal to lose one's temper

18. 1. in addition to

       on top of his accident, he caught pneumonia

    2. informal in complete control of (a difficult situation, job, etc)

19. with no previous preparation; extempore

20. 1. over the parapet or leading edge of a trench

    2. over the limit; excessive(ly); lacking restraint or a sense of proportion

21. a morning greeting regarded as characteristic of Irishmen

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adjective

1. of, relating to, serving as, or situated on the top

   the top book in a pile

2. informal excellent

   a top night out

verb

1. to form a top on (something)

   to top a cake with whipped cream

2. to remove the top of or from

   to top carrots

3. to reach or pass the top of

   we topped the mountain

4. to be at the top of

   he tops the team

5. to exceed or surpass

6. slang to kill

7. (also intr) sport

   1. to hit (a ball) above the centre

   2. to make (a stroke) by hitting the ball in this way

8. chem to distil off (the most volatile part) from a liquid mixture

9. to add other colorants to (a dye) in order to modify the shade produced

10. 1. to trim off the ends of (fruit or vegetables) before cooking them

    2. to wash a baby's face and bottom without immersion in a bath

top ² British  

/ tɒp /

noun

1. a toy that is spun on its pointed base by a flick of the fingers, by pushing a handle at the top up and down, etc

2. anything that spins or whirls around

3. to sleep very soundly

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top- ³ British  

combining form

1. a variant of topo-

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top More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing top

• at the top of one's lungs
• big top
• blow one's top
• brass hat (top brass)
• from head to toe (top to toe)
• off the top of one's head
• on top
• on top of
• on top of the world
• over the top
• sleep like a log (top)
• thin on top

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Usage

What does top- mean? Top- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “place” or "local." It is often used in scientific and other technical terms. Top- comes from the Greek tópos, meaning “place” or “commonplace.” Commonplace? Yep, discover why at our entry here. Top- is a variant of topo-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use topo- article.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• untopped
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• topping
  present
• topped
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• top
  simple
• tops
  simple
• have topped
  perfect
• has topped
  perfect
• am topping
  progressive
• are topping
  progressive
• is topping
  progressive
• have been topping
  perfect progressive
• has been topping
  perfect progressive

Past

• topped
  simple
• had topped
  perfect
• was topping
  progressive
• were topping
  progressive
• had been topping
  perfect progressive

Future

• will top
  simple
• will have topped
  perfect
• will be topping
  progressive
• will have been topping
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of top¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English top, top(p)e, Old English topp, toppa “top, summit, tuft of hair”; cognate with Dutch top, German Zopf, Old Norse toppr “top”

Origin of top²

First recorded before 1100; Middle English top, toppe, Old English top; cognate with Frisian, dialectal Dutch top

Explanation

The highest or uppermost part of something is its top, like the top rung of a ladder or the top bunk of a bunkbed. A top is also a lid, like the top of a soda bottle, an upper rank, like the top position at a law firm, and a child's spinning toy. If you yell at the top of your voice, you use the loudest possible volume. As a verb, top can mean "to beat in a competition," like when you top all of the other contestants in the spelling bee, or "to provide with a topping," like when you top your pie with whipped cream. Your band director might command, "From the top!" meaning "Play it again, from the beginning!"

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

top top- tops topped topping

“The guys at the top are guys who can do both,” says Johnston.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026

Picked near the top of their respective drafts, both men crafted passable but underwhelming careers in the league.

From Salon ● Aug. 29, 2026

The Times sports section once again hit the jackpot with Bill Plaschke’s column on Eric Sondheimer coupled with Sondheimer’s own column on his 50 top memories of his 50 years of reporting high school sports.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026

On top of its potential communicative importance and intrinsic value as a cultural behavior, accumulative stone throwing involves durable primate material culture, the loss of which would constitute the erasure of primate heritage.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 28, 2026

“And then, to top it off, you tell a bunch of awful lies. You almost gave him a heart attack!”

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

“Given the strong momentum we are seeing in our business, we are increasing our full-year top- and bottom-line outlook.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

Of course, top- and bottom-line gains do not always translate into higher share prices.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026

The market is forecast to improve as the year progresses, resulting in top- and bottom-line results largely in line with current Wall Street estimates, the company said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 25, 2026

Walmart’s recent successes—back-to-back quarters of top- and bottom-line growth and market share gains—have since proven that McMillon’s efforts were both necessary and worthwhile.

From Barron's ● Nov. 14, 2025

After all, this was top-quality grass, grown out of top- quality soil.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen

There was a palpable kindness that emanated throughout, as though every employee was working in her honor, whether performing in a show alongside her blood relatives or selling bedazzled tank tops.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

The lady wore bright red nail polish, low-cut tops and high heels - young Dolly thought she was beautiful.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

The Defense Department’s budget tops $1 trillion, the largest sum ever, even allowing for inflation.

From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2026

Pug tops podium at Word’s Ugliest Dog contest…

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026

Papa was handy too, carving up tops and other toys for us.

From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney

Today, the excavated base of the Templo Mayor, the step pyramid topped with altars to the Aztec gods of war and rain, is an open-air archaeological site.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

Finally, Diamonds & Rhinestones, Parton's 2022 greatest hits collection, reached the top 10 of the albums chart - topped by Heaton - for the first time too.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

This Friday morning, the market is pricing a $1.968 billion valuation, having topped $2 trillion at one point, although turnover so far is only around $20 million.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026

The latest quarterly results topped the electronic retailer’s own forecast as well as Wall Street’s expectations, and come as the company prepares to bring in a new chief executive.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

It was sixteen feet tall and topped with razor wire.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

Her biggest streaming country-pop classic 9 to 5 was written for the 1980 film of the same name, and earned her an Oscar nomination as well as topping the US charts.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

Comparable sales, which account for store openings and closings, rose 3.5%, topping the 2.6% increase that analysts had forecast and reflecting growth in both traffic and average transaction amount.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

Even the National Weather Service’s Oxnard station wasn’t spared — topping out at 87 degrees, besting a record of 85 set in 1931.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

Chris Salviati is staying put in his rental in San Francisco, the most expensive housing market in the country, with the median cost of rental listings topping $3,700.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026

Of course there were massive accounting problems in calculating the different state debts, not the least of the difficulties being sloppy records kept by several southern states, with Virginia topping the list for administrative disarray.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

• cap
• ceiling
• cover
• face
• head
• height
• lid
• peak
• point
• roof
• surface
• tip