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top-flight

top-flight

9 6.2
Of very high quality and among the best in its field
  • adjective
  • /ˈtɑpˌflaɪt/
translation icon : de primera categoría
  • Tyler, Stone is a top-flight firm, and I think neither company wanted to lose that expertise.
  • top-flight quarterback
  • top-flight talent
  • top-flight player

Examples

  • Austin's also the biggest U.S. city home to a top-flight research university that doesn't have a medical school.

    Blog text (4)
  • Maybe Halliburton's strategy of showing off what a top-flight services company can do will pay off in the next decade.

    Academic text (2007)
  • It's got lots of top-flight goods.

  • A top-flight military school, and it's only eight hours away.

  • All the players on the globe want to play in a top-flight European league anyway.

    Blog text (25)
  • With my new wealth, I can train with the best coaches in the top-flight facilities.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • Apple now needs to hire, keep, and manage, forever and consistently, a top-flight research and execution group.

    Blog text (31)
  • He's a top-flight criminal lawyer.

  • The students attending top-flight universities were also a new breed.

    Academic text (1995)
  • He is regarded as a top-flight chef known for his innovative dishes and exquisite flavors.

Synonyms

elite
vstop-flight
241 4.5

Among the best or most skilled in a group

applies to overall quality across things or people, not only top groups
superb
vstop-flight
111 3.5

Of very high quality and extremely good

means high quality but not necessarily intensely praised
world-class
vstop-flight
82 3.4

Very high in quality and among the best in the world

means high quality within a category, not necessarily global rank
mean
vstop-flight
  • Slang
77 7.5

Very good and impressive at a skill

is standard praise for high quality without slangy tone
high-quality
vstop-flight
68 2.7

Very good and done with care

covers being among the best without stressing manufacturing quality
premier
vstop-flight
61 4.5

Most important or best in a group of similar things

focuses on high quality, not necessarily rank or importance
first-rate
vstop-flight
49 3.8

Very high quality or done very well

expresses high quality more generally rather than traditional praise
first-class
vstop-flight
49 3.4

Of the highest quality and very good

covers highest quality more broadly across many categories
top notch
vstop-flight
  • Informal
38 3.6

Of the highest quality and better than most similar things

is the general phrase for being among the best
top-notch
vstop-flight
14 4.4

Very high quality and among the best

conveys similar excellence but without that casual complimenting tone
high-grade
vstop-flight
9 3.9

Of very good quality for important uses

expresses being among the best rather than simply higher than average
top-quality
vstop-flight
9 3.8

Very high quality and lasts a long time

is a broader praise for overall excellence, not only manufacturing
superlative
vstop-flight
8 4.6

Of the highest quality

describes being among the best rather than absolutely surpassing all
select
vstop-flight
  • Formal
8 3.7

Very good quality and better than most others

applies to high quality generally, not only to selected items
blue-ribbon
vstop-flight
5 5.4

Of very high quality and chosen as the best

says it is among the best without implying formal selection
super-duper
vstop-flight
  • Informal
4 7.9

Very good and impressive

is serious praise for high quality rather than playful intensity
top of the line
vstop-flight
4 3.9

A product that has very high quality and is often the most expensive option

is used more widely for anything among the best, not only models
top-grade
vstop-flight
3 3.7

Of the highest quality, better than others like it

means high quality generally, not only formal grades or ranks
topnotch
vstop-flight
  • Informal
1 5.4

Of the best quality

uses the same idea but in a slightly different written form
top-hole
vstop-flight
  • UK
1 9.9

Very good and of the highest quality

is neutral praise for high quality without nostalgic tone
tops
vstop-flight
  • Informal
7.8

Very good and the best in quality

is a neutral descriptor of highest quality without informal tone

Antonyms

63 3.7

Not as good in quality as something else

15 4.5

Not as good as people expect

How Good

top-flight
9 6.2
excellent
1.0
good
1.0
average
1.0

Surface Forms

top-flight positive

Morphology

top-flight = top + flight (semi-transparent) = top + flight

The compound is clearly 'top' + 'flight' meaning highest tier, but 'flight' in the sense 'tier/level' is metaphorical and may be unfamiliar to some learners.

Etymology

Top-flight joins top ('highest') with flight (think of birds or athletes 'flying' high). A helpful way to remember it is to imagine someone 'flying at the highest level', so top-flight means 'among the best' or of the highest quality.