top-shelf

adjective

ˈtäp-ˈshelf 

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

2

[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

Synonyms

• 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

There’s an extensive lineup of cocktails and top-shelf spirits, excellent, attentive service and some of the best tapas. —Leslie Kelly, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024

But some spirits, including many tequilas and whiskeys, are seeing noteworthy price drops that have made even top-shelf bottles a bit more affordable. —Alexandra Byrne, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024

All the losses are by five points or less against top-shelf competition. —Buddy Collings, Orlando Sentinel, 5 Dec. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1