top-tier

adjective

ˈtäp-ˈtir 

: 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

While Burgos is a top-tier tourist destination all on its own, no visit is complete without exploring the surrounding region—and for a truly idyllic day trip, be sure to make the journey over to Castrojeriz. —Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025

That’s right, in just over 77 minutes at five-on-five with Matheson facing that collection of top-tier centres who have combined for 201 points at five-on-five in 395 games, the Canadiens have outscored the opposition 4-0. —Arpon Basu, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025

Zoom out: Major League Soccer is the existing top-tier men's league in the U.S. —Ashley Mahoney, Axios, 21 Mar. 2025

The series, which premiered on Netflix on March 20, stars Orange Is the New Black’s Uzo Aduba as detective Cordelia Cupp, a top-tier investigator who’s been tasked with solving a murder at the White House. —Nicole Briese, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above