top-line

1 of 2

adjective

ˈtäp-ˌlīn 

1

a

: most featured or prominently advertised : leading

… its oldest top-line act, the Rolling Stones, has long been taken as a symbol of the excesses of rock's nightmare side.

—Ethan Mordden

b

: of the highest quality, level, or degree : top-of-the-line

The lauded ladies received top-line Southern hospitality …

—Tim Allis

The new chips may well make moderately priced workhorse computers—the type many people buy—perform more like today's top-line models.

—Consumer Reports

2

business : relating to or concerned with gross sales or revenue

For real value creation, the merged company has to produce top-line growth and better margins through superior offerings to customers.

—Geoffrey Colvin

top line

2 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly topline

ˈtäp-ˌlīn 

plural top lines also toplines

1

business : the line at the top of a financial report that shows gross sales or revenue before the deduction of expenses or losses

The top line is weak, with a meager 0.3% sales gain last year, to $669 million, which doesn't even keep up with inflation.

—Jack Gage

When I first started writing about business, earnings stories focused on two numbers: sales (the top line on a company's income statement) and net income (the bottom line, after deducting all expenses including taxes).

—Kathleen Pender

compare bottom line sense 2a

2

usually topline : the outline of the top of the body of an animal (such as a dog or horse)

A long-legged, long-moving individual with long topline is considered the optimum type for the horse show.

—Linda Connors

Examples of top-line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

And after being a surprise addition to the world juniors lineup in 2024, the Easton Cowan of 2025 became a top-line player who was one of Canada’s better skaters in the pre-tournament games, too. —Joshua Kloke, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025

The vehicle’s appeal is fully appreciated in the top-line Avenir trim. —James Raia, The Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2024

Profit margins measure the percentage of top-line sales that become bottom-line profits. —Bill Stone, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024

By involving finance teams early and often, companies can transform AI from an exciting possibility into a reliable growth engine — one that delivers both top-line expansion and operational excellence. —Jason McDannold, Pak, paula Walworth, Harvard Business Review, 19 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1869, in the meaning defined at sense 2