: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And how does one unrattle a top-tier designer at such a delicate time? — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2026 Jessica Lange and Nathan Lange were among the top-tier talent who also gave live talks. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 27 Oct. 2026 The company backs regional stories and aims for top-tier craft in camera work, sound, music and acting. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026 If your main concern is top-tier image quality, take a close look at the Hisense C2 Ultra and the Anker Nebula X1, both of which excel in that regard. — M. David Stone, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for top-tier

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of top-tier was in 1879

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Top-tier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top-tier. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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