top-tier
/ˌtɒpˈtɪər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌtɑːpˈtɪr/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈtäp-ˈtir/ (ame, mw)
top-tier — adjective
1. belonging to the highest level of quality, skill, or importance in a particular
belonging to the highest level of quality, skill, or importance in a particular area — used about people, organisations, or products that are clearly better than most others
Tunde earned a place at a top-tier university in London.
top-tier + institution (university)
The hospital recruited a top-tier surgeon from a well-known medical school.
Renata only buys top-tier coffee beans from a small farm in Colombia.
Only top-tier candidates were invited to the final round of interviews.
Faisal's top-tier performance at the tournament earned him a national team call-up.
- top-notch
more informal and conversational; 'top-notch service' sounds friendlier than 'top-tier service'
- first-rate
slightly old-fashioned; more common in British English for describing experiences or service
- world-class
emphasises international standing; a 'world-class athlete' competes globally, while a 'top-tier athlete' may simply be the best domestically
- elite
implies exclusivity and restricted access; 'elite university' suggests prestige and selectivity beyond mere quality
- second-rate
of clearly lower quality; dismissive in tone
- low-tier
the direct opposite; belonging to the lowest quality or rank category
- mediocre
average or ordinary, not necessarily bad but nowhere near top-tier
文法句型
top-tier + noun
用法筆記
Typically used before a noun (attributive position): 'a top-tier university'. Predicative use ('the university is top-tier') is becoming more common in informal American English but remains less frequent in formal writing.