top-shelf
adjective
1
: of the best quality
top-shelf products
Reading does have one top-shelf tourist attraction, a gorgeous pagoda that sits atop a mountain.—
Joe Queenan
Joe Queenan2
[from the placement of sexually explicit magazines for sale on high shelves out of the reach of children] British
: containing pornographic material
top-shelf magazines
This year, retailers are going to come under increased pressure to clean up their acts. Of course, they're not obliged to sell top-shelf mags.—The Grocer
The GrocerSynonyms
- A-OK
- A1
- awesome
- bang-up
- banner
- beautiful
- blue-chip
- blue-ribbon
- boffo
- bonny [chiefly British]
- bonnie
- boss [slang]
- brag
- brave
- bully
- bumper
- capital
- choice
- classic
- cool [slang]
- corking
- crackerjack
- cracking
- dandy
- divine
- dope [slang]
- down [slang]
- dynamite
- excellent
- fab
- fabulous
- famous
- fantabulous [slang]
- fantastic
- fine
- first-class
- first-rate
- first-string
- five-star
- four-star
- frontline
- gangbusters
- gangbuster
- gilt-edged
- gilt-edge
- gone [slang]
- grand
- great
- groovy
- heavenly
- high-class
- hot
- hype [slang]
- immense
- jim-dandy
- keen
- lovely
- marvelous
- marvellous
- mean
- neat
- nifty
- noble
- number one
- No. 1
- numero uno
- out-of-sight [slang]
- par excellence
- peachy
- peachy keen
- phat [slang]
- prime
- primo [slang]
- prize
- prizewinning
- quality
- radical [slang]
- righteous [slang]
- sensational
- slick
- splendid
- stellar
- sterling
- superb
- superior
- superlative
- supernal
- swell
- terrific
- tip-top
- top
- top-notch
- top-of-the-line
- topflight
- topping [chiefly British]
- unsurpassed
- wizard [chiefly British]
- wonderful
Examples of top-shelf in a Sentence
hoping to impress the new neighbors, she brought a top-shelf wine as a housewarming gift
Recent Examples on the Web
How about a break in typical strategy and spending big on a top-shelf reliever such as Tanner Scott or Jeff Hoffman?
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 6 Dec. 2024
Both Ninety Acres and Ladd’s offer a full bar, and several premium agaves and other top-shelf choices are available, whether on their own or mixed into contemporary or classic cocktails.
—Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 6 Dec. 2024
These are yardstick games because the Rams and Chargers can size up their chances against top-shelf competition — and because losing would feel to them like a ruler rapping across the knuckles.
—Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
The vibe: Hall, the son of Goose Island founder John Hall, made a name for himself in helping to create some top-shelf Goose Island varieties like Sofie, Matilda and Bourbon County Brand Stout, which still attracts beer lovers to Chicago annually from across the globe.
—Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for top-shelf 
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Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 6 Dec. 2024
Both Ninety Acres and Ladd’s offer a full bar, and several premium agaves and other top-shelf choices are available, whether on their own or mixed into contemporary or classic cocktails.
—Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 6 Dec. 2024
These are yardstick games because the Rams and Chargers can size up their chances against top-shelf competition — and because losing would feel to them like a ruler rapping across the knuckles.
—Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
The vibe: Hall, the son of Goose Island founder John Hall, made a name for himself in helping to create some top-shelf Goose Island varieties like Sofie, Matilda and Bourbon County Brand Stout, which still attracts beer lovers to Chicago annually from across the globe.
—Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for top-shelf
Dictionary Entries Near top-shelf
Cite this Entry
“Top-shelf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top-shelf. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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