Top — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective verb /ˈtäp/

Meaning & Definition of Top

Top (noun)

  1. the highest point, level, or part of something, summit, crown
  2. a garment worn on the upper body
  3. the head of a plant; especially, the aboveground part of a plant having edible roots
  4. a commonly cylindrical or conoidal device that has a tapering point on which it is made to spin and that is used especially as a toy

Top (adjective)

  1. of, relating to, or being at the top, uppermost
  2. chief, leading
  3. of the highest quality, amount, or degree

Top (verb)

  1. to be or become higher than, overtop
  2. to be superior to, excel, surpass
  3. to gain ascendancy over, dominate

Top (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. being at a point or level higher than all others

    "an office in the top story of the building"

    "the top student in our graduating class"

    similar: highest, loftiest, topmost, upmost, uppermost
    related: higher, loftier, upper, consummate, maximal, maximized, maximum, peaked, supreme, utmost, uttermost, chief, dominant, first, foremost, head, leading, predominant, preeminent, premier, principal, dominating, eminent, prominent, towering, elevated, escalated, heightened, jacked (up), lifted, raised, uplifted, upraised
    opposite: bottommost, lowermost, lowest, nethermost, rock-bottom, undermost
    near: below, lower, nether, under, underneath, low, lowered, low-lying, sunken

  2. of the greatest or highest degree or quantity

    "your safety is our top priority"

    similar: consummate, last, max, maximum, most, nth, outside, paramount, supreme, ultimate, utmost, uttermost
    related: unequaled, unmatched, unparalleled, unrivaled, unsurpassed, biggest, hugest, largest, topmost, upmost, uppermost
    opposite: least, minimal, minimum, slightest
    near: littlest, minutest, smallest, tiniest, lowest, fewest

  3. of the highest degree

    "going at top speed"

    similar: full, greatest, maximum, topmost, utmost, utter
    related: heightened, high
    opposite: least, littlest, lowest, minimal, minimum, slightest
    near: lessened, low

  4. of the very best kind

    "he's one of the tennis club's top players"

    similar: A-OK, A1, awesome, bang-up, banner, beautiful, blue-chip, blue-ribbon, boffo, bonny (chiefly British), 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, gilt-edged, gone (slang), grand, great, groovy, heavenly, high-class, hot, hype (slang), immense, jim-dandy, keen, lovely, marvelous, mean, neat, nifty, noble, number one, 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-notch, top-of-the-line, top-shelf, topflight, topping (chiefly British), unsurpassed, wizard (chiefly British), wonderful, out of this world, too much
    related: acceptable, adequate, all right, decent, good, OK, passable, satisfactory, tolerable, better, exceptional, fancy, high-grade, high-test, premium, select, special, superfine, classical, standard, traditional
    opposite: atrocious, awful, execrable, lousy, pathetic, poor, rotten, terrible, vile, wretched
    near: bad, inferior, low-grade, substandard, unsatisfactory, mediocre, middling, second-class, second-rate

  5. highest in rank or authority

    "nearly all of the top officials in the state's department of corrections resigned after the scandal"

    similar: chief, commanding, first, foremost, head, high, lead, leading, preeminent, premier, presiding, primary, prime, principal, supereminent, supreme, in charge
    related: high-level, senior, controlling, directing, managing, officiating, overseeing, regnant, reigning, ruling, supervisory, main, major, paramount, predominant, predominate, sovereign, ascendant, dominant, grand, superior, topmost, upmost, upper, uppermost
    near: ancillary, inferior, last, less, lesser, lower, lowly, second, secondary, subordinate, subsidiary, assistant, assisting, coadjutor, deputy, junior, under

Top (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a piece placed over an open container to hold in, protect, or conceal its contents

    "make sure the top is on the blender before you turn it on or you'll make a mess"

    similar: cap, cover, lid
    related: dome, hood, roof, capsule, case, casing, covering, housing, jacket, sheath, shell

  2. the highest part or point

    "a hawk's nest at the very top of the tree"

    similar: acme, apex, apogee, capstone, climax, crescendo, crest, crown, culmination, head, height, high noon, high-water mark, meridian, ne plus ultra, noon, noontime, peak, pinnacle, sum, summit, tip-top, zenith
    related: bloom, blossom, flood tide, flower, glory, heyday, prime, cap, ceiling, roof, extreme, extremity, tip, vertex, high, highlight, highspot
    opposite: bottom, nadir, rock bottom
    near: abyss, base, foot, minimum

Top (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to be greater, better, or stronger than

    "the next contender's javelin throw topped the reigning champion's and set a new world record"

    similar: beat, better, eclipse, exceed, excel, outclass, outdistance, outdo, outgun, outmatch, outshine, outstrip, overtop, surpass, tower (over), transcend, go one better, run circles around
    related: one-up, outpace, outrace, outrun, overpass, best, clobber, conquer, crush, defeat, drub, lick, master, outcompete, outperform, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), rout, shame, skunk, subdue, surmount, thrash, trim, triumph (over), trounce, wallop, whip, win (against), worst, outbalance, outweigh, overbear, overshadow, trump
    near: lose (to)

Related Entry: Top billing (noun)

Top billing is a different word from Top. The synonyms below are for top billing, not for top.

  1. the center of public attention

    "despite being of epic proportions, the famine overseas rarely received top billing in the American press"

    similar: catbird seat, center stage, limelight, spotlight
    related: front burner, attention, heed, notice
    near: background, obscurity, shadow

Related Entry: Top-notch (adjective)

Top-notch is a different word from Top. The synonyms below are for top-notch, not for top.

  1. of the very best kind

    "a top-notch violinist who had no trouble getting a position with the symphony"

    similar: A-OK, A1, awesome, bang-up, banner, beautiful, blue-chip, blue-ribbon, boffo, bonny (chiefly British), 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, gilt-edged, gone (slang), grand, great, groovy, heavenly, high-class, hot, hype (slang), immense, jim-dandy, keen, lovely, marvelous, mean, neat, nifty, noble, number one, 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-of-the-line, top-shelf, topflight, topping (chiefly British), unsurpassed, wizard (chiefly British), wonderful, out of this world, too much
    related: acceptable, adequate, all right, decent, good, OK, passable, satisfactory, tolerable, better, exceptional, fancy, high-grade, high-test, premium, select, special, superfine, classical, standard, traditional
    opposite: atrocious, awful, execrable, lousy, pathetic, poor, rotten, terrible, vile, wretched
    near: bad, inferior, low-grade, substandard, unsatisfactory, mediocre, middling, second-class, second-rate

Related Entry: Top-of-the-line (adjective)

Top-of-the-line is a different word from Top. The synonyms below are for top-of-the-line, not for top.

  1. of the very best kind

    "gourmet chefs who insist on top-of-the-line cookware and are willing to pay for it"

    similar: A-OK, A1, awesome, bang-up, banner, beautiful, blue-chip, blue-ribbon, boffo, bonny (chiefly British), 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, gilt-edged, gone (slang), grand, great, groovy, heavenly, high-class, hot, hype (slang), immense, jim-dandy, keen, lovely, marvelous, mean, neat, nifty, noble, number one, 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-shelf, topflight, topping (chiefly British), unsurpassed, wizard (chiefly British), wonderful, out of this world, too much
    related: acceptable, adequate, all right, decent, good, OK, passable, satisfactory, tolerable, better, exceptional, fancy, high-grade, high-test, premium, select, special, superfine, classical, standard, traditional
    opposite: atrocious, awful, execrable, lousy, pathetic, poor, rotten, terrible, vile, wretched
    near: bad, inferior, low-grade, substandard, unsatisfactory, mediocre, middling, second-class, second-rate

Related Entry: Top-shelf (adjective)

Top-shelf is a different word from Top. The synonyms below are for top-shelf, not for top.

  1. of the very best kind

    "hoping to impress the new neighbors, she brought a top-shelf wine as a housewarming gift"

    similar: A-OK, A1, awesome, bang-up, banner, beautiful, blue-chip, blue-ribbon, boffo, bonny (chiefly British), 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, gilt-edged, gone (slang), grand, great, groovy, heavenly, high-class, hot, hype (slang), immense, jim-dandy, keen, lovely, marvelous, mean, neat, nifty, noble, number one, 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, out of this world, too much
    related: acceptable, adequate, all right, decent, good, OK, passable, satisfactory, tolerable, better, exceptional, fancy, high-grade, high-test, premium, select, special, superfine, classical, standard, traditional
    opposite: atrocious, awful, execrable, lousy, pathetic, poor, rotten, terrible, vile, wretched
    near: bad, inferior, low-grade, substandard, unsatisfactory, mediocre, middling, second-class, second-rate

Related Entry: Top secret (adjective)

Top secret is a different word from Top. The synonyms below are for top secret, not for top.

  1. kept completely hidden from the public by high government officials

    "top secret documents"

    "The mission is top secret."

    similar: classified, restricted, behind-the-scenes, confidential, esoteric, hushed, hush-hush, inside, intimate, nonpublic, private, privy, secret, silent, unadvertised, unannounced, undisclosed, unmentioned, unsaid, untold, clandestine, closet, collusive, conspiratorial, covert, furtive, hugger-mugger, occult, sneak, sneaking, sneaky, stealthy, surreptitious, undercover, underground, underhand, underhanded, personal, closeted, concealed, repressed, silenced, stifled, suppressed, backstage, offscreen, offstage
    opposite: well-known, advertised, aired, announced, blazed, broadcast, declared, disclosed, divulged, enunciated, heralded, proclaimed, professed, promulgated, publicized, published, reported, spotlighted, general, popular, prevailing, vulgar, current, prevalent, rife, widespread, communal, shared, common, open, public

Related Entry: Top banana (noun)

Top banana is a different word from Top. The synonyms below are for top banana, not for top.

  1. as in comedian, second banana

    similar: comedian, comedienne, comic, droll, farceur, funnyman, gagger, gagman, gagster, humorist, joker, jokester, merry-andrew, second banana, stand-up, wag, wit, mime, mimic, mummer, pantaloon, antic (archaic), fool, gracioso, jester, motley, scaramouch, cutup, madcap, buffo, buffoon, clown, harlequin, zany

Related Entry: Top bananas (noun)

Top bananas is a different word from Top. The synonyms below are for top bananas, not for top.

  1. as in comedians, second bananas

    similar: comedians, comediennes, comics, drolls, farceurs, funnymen, gaggers, gagmen, gagsters, humorists, jokers, jokesters, merry-andrews, second bananas, stand-ups, wags, wits, mimes, mimics, mummers, pantaloons, antics (archaic), fools, graciosos, jesters, motleys, scaramouches, cutups, madcaps, buffi, buffoons, clowns, harlequins, zanies

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Top

The most common words with a similar meaning to Top:

Slang: boss, cool, dope, down, fantabulous, gone, hype, out-of-sight, phat, primo, radical, righteous
Chiefly British: bonny, topping, wizard
highest, loftiest, topmost, upmost, uppermost, consummate, last, max, maximum, most, nth, outside, paramount, supreme, ultimate, utmost, uttermost, full, greatest, utter, A-OK, A1, awesome, bang-up, banner, beautiful, blue-chip, blue-ribbon, boffo, brag, brave, bully, bumper, capital, choice, classic, corking, crackerjack, cracking, dandy

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Top

Words with the opposite meaning of Top:

bottommost, lowermost, lowest, nethermost, rock-bottom, undermost, least, minimal, minimum, slightest, littlest, atrocious, awful, execrable, lousy, pathetic, poor, rotten, terrible, vile, wretched, bottom, nadir, rock bottom

Related Words for Top

higher, loftier, upper, maximal, maximized, peaked, dominant, predominant, dominating, eminent, prominent, towering, elevated, escalated, heightened, jacked (up), lifted, raised, uplifted, upraised, unequaled, unmatched, unparalleled, unrivaled, biggest, hugest, largest, acceptable, adequate, all right

Near Antonyms of Top

below, lower, nether, under, underneath, low, lowered, low-lying, sunken, minutest, smallest, tiniest, fewest, lessened, bad, inferior, low-grade, substandard, unsatisfactory, mediocre, middling, second-class, second-rate, ancillary, last, less, lesser, lowly, second, secondary

Word Forms of Top

Inflections: topped, topping

Derived words: topped (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Top

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German zopf tip, tuft of hair

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Top

Words & Phrases Containing Top

top-, top banana, top billing, top boot, top dog, top dollar

Frequently Asked Questions about Top

What does "Top" mean?

"Top" means the highest point, level, or part of something, summit, crown. As an a noun, an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: the highest point, level, or part of something, summit, crown. It has 8 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Top"?

Other words for "Top" include highest, loftiest, topmost, upmost, uppermost, consummate, last and max. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Top" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Top"?

There are 295 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Top". Common alternatives include highest, loftiest, topmost, upmost, uppermost, consummate, last, max, maximum and most.

What is a slang word for "Top"?

Slang words for "Top" include boss, cool, dope, down, fantabulous and gone.

What is the opposite of "Top"?

Antonyms of "Top" include bottommost, lowermost, lowest, nethermost, rock-bottom, undermost, least and minimal. Near antonyms include below, lower, nether and under.

How do you use "Top" in a sentence?

Examples of "Top" in a sentence: "an office in the top story of the building"; "the top student in our graduating class"; "your safety is our top priority".

Is "Top" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Top" can be used as a noun, an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Top" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Top" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.