top-down
adjective
1
: controlled, directed, or instituted from the top level
a top-down corporate structure
2
: proceeding by breaking large general aspects (as of a problem) into smaller more detailed constituents : working from the general to the specific
top-down programming
top-down design
Examples of top-down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The study concluded that the only way to unlock AI’s full capabilities is by abandoning old-school ways of doing business that include using top-down metrics, relying on internal talent exclusively, and doing less with more.
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Tor Constantino, Mba, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2024
Thorne detailed how connecting and growing with peers creates money-making opportunities which in turn allows creatives to support each other laterally, instead of waiting for funding to come from the top-down.
—Essence, 11 Sep. 2024
This type of top-down level success continued into the 2000s.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN, 8 Sep. 2024
States ruled by top-down terror have a durability problem too, Harari explains.
—Daniel Immerwahr, The Atlantic, 6 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for top-down 
Tor Constantino, Mba, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2024
Thorne detailed how connecting and growing with peers creates money-making opportunities which in turn allows creatives to support each other laterally, instead of waiting for funding to come from the top-down.
—Essence, 11 Sep. 2024
This type of top-down level success continued into the 2000s.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN, 8 Sep. 2024
States ruled by top-down terror have a durability problem too, Harari explains.
—Daniel Immerwahr, The Atlantic, 6 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for top-down
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'top-down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near top-down
Cite this Entry
“Top-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top-down. Accessed 30 Sep. 2024.
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