: of the highest level or rank with regard to quality, reputation, or importance
Top-tier wines are the result of artisanal production techniques that demand rigorous attention to detail and, on occasion, financial sacrifice.Daniel Sogg
In general, the top-tier schools measure their success by the salaries that their graduates earn …Peter Baida
… leave fellow Republicans open to attack on what's shaping up as a top-tier issue in the 2008 elections.Mark Hertsgaard
Yes, this Kansas team is loaded with top-tier talent …Joe Posnanski
Kemp's first objective, his handlers said, was to establish himself as a top-tier contender.Lucy Howard>

Examples of top-tier in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This means clients can access top-tier growth services without any upfront financial burden. Kansas City Star, 27 May 2024 In other words, the iPad Air is nearly as quick as Apple's top-tier tablet. PCMAG, 25 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for top-tier 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'top-tier.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of top-tier was in 1879

Dictionary Entries Near top-tier

Cite this Entry

“Top-tier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top-tier. Accessed 31 May. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!