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king of the hill

king of the hill

2 4.4
A person or group who is top and most powerful after a competition
  • noun
  • Informal
translation icon : rey de la colina
  • * TO FIND I'M THE KING OF THE HILL *
  • still the king of the hill

Or you can step up to the king of the hill, the ultra luxury and recline in your back seat.

Examples

  • The best years of your life were high school, when you were the king of the hill and Darian was your girlfriend.

  • My view is that, you know, you once you get to be the king of the hill, like a Google or like an and by the way, it ain't easy.

  • I come home see him in here eating my food sitting in my chair, acting like the king of the hill around here.

  • Whoever pays more is king of the hill.

    Blog text (21)
  • Then there is the current king of the hill, Kickstarter.

    Blog text (2)
  • My big thing right now is when you're the king of the hill, triple down on it.

  • My big thing right now is when you're the king of the hill, triple down on it.

  • Or you can step up to the king of the hill, the ultra luxury and recline in your back seat.

  • We'll get him over to my place where he's got room to roam, and he can be king of the hill, and he should perk right up.

    Blog text (18)
  • After winning the championship, she confidently declared, "I am the king of the hill in this league!"

Synonyms

chief
vsking of the hill
1.9

A person who leads a group or community

focuses more on dominance achieved by being superior after contest
king
vsking of the hill
508 1.0

The most important person or thing in a field

adds the sense of superiority reached through competition victory
kingpin
vsking of the hill
  • Literature
33 7.0

The most important person who controls a group or activity

highlights dominance achieved through being superior after rivals
top dog
vsking of the hill
  • Informal
21 4.6

A person with the most power in a group

is about being dominant or superior especially following competition
topper
vsking of the hill
  • Indian
7 6.7

A person who is best in a group or class

emphasizes being dominant after competition rather than general excellence
high-up
vsking of the hill
5 7.1

A person with an important job in an organization

stresses superiority over others resulting from competitive success
top of the pile
vsking of the hill
  • UK
3 4.6

The most important position with the highest priority

emphasizes dominance gained by being superior after contest
alpha dog
vsking of the hill
  • Informal
2 7.0

A confident person who takes charge and leads a group that others follow

is about being in a superior position often after competition
top cat
vsking of the hill
  • Informal
1 7.5

A person who is in charge of a group and makes the main decisions

focuses on holding a leading position after outperforming others
top banana
vsking of the hill
  • Archaic
1 7.7

The most important person in a group or organization

stresses being superior relative to others after competing
king of the castle
vsking of the hill
  • Informal
1 7.0

A person who has most power and control in a place

focuses more on dominance after competition rather than local security
dominant
vsking of the hill
1 4.1

A person or thing that has the most power in a group

adds the idea of superiority gained especially by winning contests
top of the tree
vsking of the hill
  • UK
1 5.6

The highest level of success in a job or field

focuses on leading or superior position especially after competition
high on the totem pole
vsking of the hill
  • Informal
7.9

In a position of power or importance in a group

is about leading position earned by being superior after rivals
huckleberry above a persimmon
vsking of the hill
  • Archaic
9.9

A person who acts like they are better than other people

expresses dominance achieved after competition in more neutral terms

How Dominant

king of the hill
  • Informal
2 4.4
top dog
  • Informal
21 4.6
leader
1.0
competitor
298 2.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

king + of + the + hill

The phrase combines literal elements ('king' = top/powerful, 'hill' = a raised place) so a learner who knows the words can infer a figurative meaning of being on top or dominant. However the competitive/social sense ('dominant after competition') is a metaphoric extension of the spatial image and may not be fully predictable in all uses, so it is only partially transparent.

Etymology

King of the hill comes from a children's game where one child stands on top of a small hill while others try to push them off. Being the king of the hill made that child the winner, so today the phrase describes someone who is 'on top' or 'in charge' after a competition.