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adjective

top notch

top NOTCH

Top notch (adjective) means of the highest quality or standard. Example: “The service at that hotel is absolutely top notch.”

adjective
1
Of the highest quality or standard.
"The service at that hotel is absolutely top notch."
"She put together a top-notch team in under a month."

How to use top notch

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAs good as it gets.

When to use it

Informal but perfectly acceptable in most writing, including business communication. Usually hyphenated before a noun and open after a verb.

Memory tip

Top notch describes quality, not price or luxury. A cheap café can serve top-notch coffee.

Easily confused with
top-tier top of the range high-end
Common pairings
top-notch service absolutely top notch top-notch quality
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The service at that hotel is absolutely _____.

excellent first-rate outstanding superb first-class

Antonyms

second-rate poor substandard

Related words

Frequently asked questions

Is top notch hyphenated?

Hyphenate it when it sits directly before a noun — a top-notch performance. Leave it open after a linking verb — the performance was top notch. Some style guides hyphenate it in both positions, and that is not wrong.

What is the difference between top notch and top tier?

Top notch is a judgement about quality: it is very good. Top tier places something in the highest band of a ranking, so it implies a comparison with competitors. A restaurant can be top notch without being top tier in its city.

What is the meaning of top notch?

"top notch" (adjective) means of the highest quality or standard.

What is another word for top notch?

Other words for "top notch" include excellent, first-rate, outstanding, superb, first-class.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial