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

All-inclusive truly means all-inclusive here — even top-shelf alcohol is fully included, along with all meals, snacks, and most activities. —Devorah Lev-Tov, Travel + Leisure, 24 May 2024

Meanwhile, Laci Kaye Booth issues her full-length debut, chock-full of top-shelf songwriting. —Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 20 May 2024

As the race to lure top-shelf Hollywood productions continues, however, many say the Czech government also needs to give a boost to the country’s 20% cashback program, which lags behind regional competitors Hungary (30%), Poland (30%) and Slovakia (33%). —Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 17 May 2024

The officials purportedly had very limited bottles of top-shelf bourbon routed to a liquor store, often in the Portland suburb of Milwaukie where the commission headquarters is located, and would reserve them for pickup later. —Claire Rush, Fortune, 13 May 2024

The brainchild of pianist and translator Donald Pippin, who died in 2021 at the age of 95, Pocket Opera mounts fully staged productions that are marvels of concision, with top-shelf singers accompanied by the Pocket Philharmonic’s five to 12 players. —Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 3 May 2024

Hartman held the puck until Talbot committed and beat the goaltender with a top-shelf shot over his glove hand to make it 2-0 with just 4.7 seconds left in the second period. —John Shipley, Twin Cities, 16 Apr. 2024

To customers eager for a legal high, stores like Zaza Waza — slang for top-shelf weed — looked every bit the real deal. —Nicholas Fandos, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024

The studio didn’t share any details about what the film is about beyond the involvement of its top-shelf talent. —Brent Lang, Variety, 11 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1