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

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
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 the top-shelf ingredients also lend themselves to top-shelf prices, with gourmet chocolates averaging out at $2 apiece. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 8 Feb. 2025 Casa Maranello’s drinking lounge came fully stocked with top-shelf alcohol. Ray Parisi, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2025 Those top-shelf spaces are in high demand but can be hard to find, Mike Watts, a president at CBRE, tells Axios. Sami Sparber, Axios, 5 Feb. 2025 For $90 per day, the Princess Premiere package (enhanced in 2024) allows for a truly all-inclusive experience, covering high-speed Wi-Fi, specialty coffees, unlimited premium meals, top-shelf alcoholic beverages, fitness classes, and more. Nina Ruggiero, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for top-shelf

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of top-shelf was in 1854

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Cite this Entry

“Top-shelf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top-shelf. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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