top billing

noun

1

: prominent emphasis, featuring, or advertising

2

: the position at the top of a theatrical bill usually featuring the star's name

Synonyms

• catbird seat
• center stage
• limelight
• spotlight

Examples of top billing in a Sentence

despite being of epic proportions, the famine overseas rarely received top billing in the American press

Recent Examples on the Web

And finally, that in the rolling TV production that is the Trump administration, there is one protagonist, executive producer and star who must get top billing. —James Poniewozik, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025

And for Perez, there is no doubt who takes top billing over bitter rival FC Barcelona's La Masia. —Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 24 Nov. 2024

Auburn beat out Duke to receive top billing in the tournament despite those three losses over the past two weeks, and despite also dropping a game to the Blue Devils back in December. —CBS News, 16 Mar. 2025

Shearling and faux furs, especially when used in dramatic proportions or applied as extreme detailing, took top billing. —Luisa Zargani, WWD, 2 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for top billing

• backfilling
• distilling
• fulfilling
• infilling
• instilling
• refilling
• sawmilling
• unwilling
• chilling
• drilling
• filling
• grilling