top dog

noun

Definition of top dognext
as in ruler

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of top dog But after cleaning house in the Windy City and establishing himself as the top dog of the criminal underworld, with a growing family to boot, will the allure of his past be enough to send him packing? — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 4 June 2026 In the second annual Oscar Mayer Wienermobile race, the New York Dog stuck it to the fan favorite Corn Dog to come out top dog. — Cindi Andrews, IndyStar, 25 May 2026 To pick the top dog, Wirecutter's Katie Quinn and Kathleen Squires joined forces with chef José Andrés founder of World Central Kitchen, to judge the regional specialties. — Zachary Fletcher, USA Today, 30 June 2026 New this year are increased tire sizes—34-inch Goodyears on the non-X truck and 35-inchers on the top dog—as well as Multimatic Jounce Control Dampers to accompany the DSSV units that make the X and Silverado ZR2 so special. — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for top dog
Recent Examples of Synonyms for top dog
  1. ruler
  2. dominator
  3. placer
  4. overdog
Noun
  • Since overthrowing the Assad dynasty, Syria’s new rulers have struggled to exert control across the country and to check extremist groups.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
  • The aluminum venture also deepens the relationship between IHC — chaired by Abu Dhabi’s deputy ruler Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed — and billionaire Gautam Adani’s conglomerate, following IHC’s $2 billion investment in Adani companies in 2022.
    — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of ruler
Noun
  • When Chrome launched in 2008, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer was the industry dominator, with roughly 60% of global browser usage thanks to being the default on Windows computers.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 17 June 2026
  • The 29-year-old Ontario native had yet to taste the third round in nine seasons with Toronto, but has been a dominator for Vegas.
    — Jesse Granger, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Definition of dominator
Noun
  • Its breakout star is Parker Schnabel, a thirty-one-year-old who runs a placer mine in the Yukon that brought in fifty-one million dollars last year.
    — Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • Joining perennial top-placer Jane in the top two this week is … Kenya Pleaser?
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2026
Definition of placer
Noun
  • But perhaps the biggest antidote to The Studio’s overdog problem is that its fat-cat Apple TV+ profile can easily be spun as good for everybody.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2025
  • This team has cast off its familiar underdog mantle and embraced being the overdog.
    — Jeré Longman, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2023
Definition of overdog

Browse Nearby Words

topcoats
top dog
top dogs
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Top dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/top%20dog. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All