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.
For the former, the Waldorf Astoria’s Bull & Bear is a top-shelf choice. Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2025 View gallery - 14 images Apple TV+ has clearly decided to invest in top-shelf science fiction as a defining pillar of its offering – and overall, it's put together an impressive slate. New Atlas, 6 Mar. 2025 Local music: The free Clematis by Night concert series on the Great Lawn at Centennial Square in downtown West Palm Beach will feature top-shelf blues band JP Soars & The Red Hots. Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2025 The 37-year-old was back in his bag, ripping and blunting the cut with his signature flow and raps about getting money, maintaining, and of course, smoking the top-shelf Mary Jane. Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 28 Feb. 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 15 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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