Upper vs. Top — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 1, 2023
Upper refers to a position higher in a relative hierarchy or structure, while top indicates the highest point or part of something.
Difference Between Upper and Top
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Upper is generally used to denote a position that is higher than another, but not necessarily the highest. The word "upper" can refer to both location and status. In contrast, "top" signifies the peak or the utmost part of a hierarchy, structure, or object. For example, the upper floors of a building are simply those above the lower floors, whereas the top floor is the very highest one.
When using "upper" in sentences, it often conveys a relative position, like an upper shelf, which suggests there are shelves below it. "Top," however, conveys an absolute position, with nothing above it, such as the top shelf, implying it is the highest one possible. "Upper" is also used to describe parts of objects or garments, like upper arm or upper part of a boot, but "top" would not fit in this context.
The word "upper" can be a noun or an adjective, where it might describe a higher-level aspect of something, like upper management. "Top" can be a noun, adjective, or verb, as in top-quality, the top of the mountain, or to top a cake with icing. "Top" indicates the highest degree in quality or rank.
Both "upper" and "top" can be used metaphorically. Upper echelons refer to the higher ranks of an organization, not necessarily the very highest. "Top," in a metaphorical sense, often refers to the pinnacle of success, as in top of the class or top of the game, indicating no one is ranked higher.
Comparison Chart
Positional Context
Higher relative to another part.
The highest point or part.
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Usage as Noun
Less common, e.g., "upper" in shoes.
Very common, e.g., "the top".
Usage as Adjective
Describes a part, not the peak.
Describes the peak or best quality.
Metaphorical Use
Higher level, not necessarily highest.
Pinnacle or highest rank.
Variability
Can indicate various levels above a point.
Indicates the utmost level only.
Compare with Definitions
Upper
Higher in position.
She lives on the upper floor.
Top
Foremost in rank or importance.
She is at the top of her class.
Upper
Higher in place or position.
The upper echelons were involved in the decision.
Top
Highest degree or quality.
They offer top service.
Upper
Situated on the top part of the body.
The injury was on his upper arm.
Top
To surpass or exceed.
The sequel topped the original movie.
Upper
Higher in place, position, or rank
The upper bunk.
The upper half of the class.
Top
The highest or uppermost point, part, or surface of something
Doreen stood at the top of the stairs
Fill the cup almost to the top
The springy turf of the clifftop
Upper
Situated on higher ground
Upper regions.
Top
A lid, cover, or cap
He removed the top from his ballpoint
Beer bottle tops
Upper
Lying farther inland
The upper Nile.
Top
The highest or most important rank, level, or position
The people at the top must be competent
Her talent will take her right to the top
Upper
Northern
The upper Midwest.
Top
A garment covering the upper part of the body and worn with a skirt, trousers, or shorts
She bought a couple of new tops
He was wearing a hooded top
Upper
Upper Geology & Archaeology Of, relating to, or being a later division of the period named.
Top
The end of something that is furthest from the speaker or a point of reference
The bus shelter at the top of the road
Upper
Denoting the smaller and usually less broadly representative house of a bicameral legislature.
Top
Short for topspin
Upper
The part of a shoe or boot above the sole.
Top
A bundle of long wool fibres prepared for spinning.
Upper
(Informal) An upper berth.
Top
One of six flavours of quark.
Upper
Uppers(Informal) The upper teeth or a set of upper dentures.
Top
A man who takes the active role in anal intercourse with another man.
Upper
A drug, especially an amphetamine, used as a stimulant.
Top
A conical, spherical, or pear-shaped toy that with a quick or vigorous twist may be set to spin.
Upper
An exhilarating or euphoric experience.
Top
Used in names of top shells, e.g. strawberry top.
Upper
At a higher level, rank or position.
Top
Highest in position, rank, or degree
The top button of his shirt
A top executive
Upper
Situated on higher ground, further inland, or more northerly.
Top
Furthest away from the speaker or a point of reference
The top end of Fulham Road
Upper
Younger, more recent
Top
Exceed (an amount, level, or number); be more than
Losses are expected to top £100 m this year
Upper
(education) Of or pertaining to a secondary school.
Top
Provide with a top or topping
Toast topped with baked beans
Upper
A stimulant, such as amphetamine, that increases energy and decreases appetite.
Top
Reach the top of (a hill or other elevation)
They topped a rise and began a slow descent
Upper
The upper portion of something
Top
Kill
I wasn't sorry when he topped himself
Upper
(shoemaking) The piece of leather, etc., that forms the top part of a shoe above the sole.
Top
Mishit (the ball or a stroke) by hitting above the centre of the ball
He topped his drive on the fifth hole
Sliced and topped shots
Upper
(footwear) The Y-shaped strap on flip-flops.
Top
At the most
Some civil servant earning twenty-eight thousand a year, tops
Upper
Someone with higher social standing
Top
The uppermost part, point, surface, or end
Wrote on the top of the box.
Upper
A senior student.
Top
The part farthest from a given reference point
Took a jump shot from the top of the key.
Upper
That which is higher, contrasted with the lower.
Top
The crown of the head
From top to toe.
Upper
A tooth in the upper jaw.
Top
The part of a plant, such as a rutabaga, that is above the ground.
Upper
A denture or retainer for the teeth in the upper jaw.
Top
Something, such as a lid or cap, that covers or forms an uppermost part.
Upper
An upper berth or bunk.
Top
A garment worn on the upper half of the body.
Upper
(Taoism) A spiritual passageway through which consciousness can reach a higher dimension.
Top
(Nautical) A platform enclosing the head of the lower section of a mast of a square-rigged vessel, to which the topmast shrouds are attached.
Upper
Being further up, literally or figuratively; higher in place, position, rank, dignity, or the like; superior; as, the upper lip; the upper side of a thing; the upper house of a legislature.
Top
The highest degree, pitch, or point; the peak, acme, or zenith
"It had come at a time when he was not feeling at the top of his form" (Anthony Powell).
Upper
The upper leather for a shoe; a vamp.
Top
The highest position or rank
At the top of his profession.
Upper
The higher of two berths
Top
A person in this position.
Upper
Piece of leather that forms the part of a shoe or boot above the sole
Top
(Games) The highest card or cards in a suit or hand.
Upper
A central nervous system stimulant that increases energy and decreases appetite; used to treat narcolepsy and some forms of depression
Top
The best part.
Upper
Higher in place or position;
The upper bunk
In the upper center of the picture
The upper stories
Top
The earliest part or beginning
She played the piece again, from the top.
Upper
The topmost one of two
Top
(Baseball) The first half of an inning.
Upper
Superior in rank or accomplishment;
The upper half of the class
Top
A stroke that lands above the center of a ball, as in golf or tennis, giving it a forward spin.
Upper
Superior in rank or degree.
He is in the upper management.
Top
A forward spin on a ball resulting from such a stroke.
Upper
The part of a shoe above the sole.
The uppers of these shoes are made of leather.
Top
(Slang) One who penetrates the other person or is the dominant partner in a sexual encounter or relationship.
Top
A toy having one end tapered to a point, allowing it to be spun, as by suddenly pulling a string wound around it.
Top
Situated at the top
The top shelf.
Top
Of the highest degree, quality, rank, or amount
In top form.
The top ten bestsellers.
Top
In a position of preeminence
The top historian in her department.
Top
To form, furnish with, or serve as a top
Topped the ice cream with jimmies.
Top
To reach or go over the top of
The car topped the hill.
Top
To exceed or surpass
The car's speed topped 80 miles an hour. Her performance really topped his.
Top
To be at the head of
She topped her class.
Top
To remove the top or uppermost part from; crop
Topped the fruit trees.
Top
To strike the upper part of (a ball), giving it forward spin.
Top
To make (a stroke) in this way.
Top
To make a finish, an end, or a conclusion.
Top
The highest or uppermost part of something.
His kite got caught at the top of the tree.
Top
(irrespective of present orientation) the part of something that is usually the top.
We flipped the machine onto its top.
Top
The uppermost part of a page, picture, viewing screen, etc.
Further weather information can be found at the top of your television screen.
Headings appear at the tops of pages.
Top
A lid, cap or cover of a container.
Put a top on the toothpaste tube or it will go bad.
Top
A garment worn to cover the torso.
I bought this top as it matches my jeans.
I like this pyjama top.
Top
A framework at the top of a ship's mast to which rigging is attached.
Top
(baseball) The first half of an inning, during which the home team fields and the visiting team bats.
Top
(archaic) The crown of the head, or the hair upon it; the head.
Top
The near end of somewhere
The patio is at the top of my garden.
The shop is at the top of my street.
Top
A child’s spinning toy; a spinning top.
The boy was amazed at how long the top would spin.
Top
(heading) Someone who is eminent.
Top
(archaic) The chief person; the most prominent one.
Top
The highest rank; the most honourable position; the utmost attainable place.
To be at the top of one's class, or at the top of the school
Top
(BDSM) A dominant partner in a BDSM relationship or roleplay.
Top
(gay slang) A man penetrating or with a preference for penetrating during homosexual intercourse.
I prefer being a top, and my boyfriend prefers being a bottom.
Top
Oral stimulation of the male member, a blowjob.
Top
(particle physics) A top quark.
Top
The utmost degree; the acme; the summit.
Top
(ropemaking) A plug, or conical block of wood, with longitudinal grooves on its surface, in which the strands of the rope slide in the process of twisting.
Top
(sound) Highest pitch or loudest volume.
She sang at the top of her voice.
Top
(wool manufacture) A bundle or ball of slivers of combed wool, from which the noils, or dust, have been taken out.
Top
(obsolete, except in one sense of phrase on top of) Eve; verge; point.
Top
The part of a cut gem between the girdle, or circumference, and the table, or flat upper surface.
Top
Topboots.
Top
A stroke on the top of the ball.
Top
A forward spin given to the ball by hitting it on or near the top; topspin
Top
(A table at which there is, or which has enough seats for) a group of a specified number of people eating at a restaurant.
Top
To cover on the top or with a top.
I like my ice cream topped with chocolate sauce.
Top
To excel, to surpass, to beat, to exceed.
Titanic was the most successful film ever until it was topped by another Cameron film, Avatar.
Top
To be in the lead, to be at number one position (of).
Celine Dion topped the UK music charts twice in the 1990s.
Top
To cut or remove the top (as of a tree)
I don't want to be bald, so just top my hair.
Top and tail the carrots.
Top
To commit suicide.
Depression causes many people to top themselves.
Top
To murder.
Top
(BDSM) To be the dominant partner in a BDSM relationship or roleplay.
I used to be a slave, but I ended up topping.
Giving advice to the dominant partner on how to run the BDSM session is called "topping from the bottom".
Top
To anally penetrate in gay sex.
Top
(archaic) To rise aloft; to be eminent; to tower.
Topping passions
Top
(archaic) To excel; to rise above others.
Top
(nautical) To raise one end of (a yard, etc.), making it higher than the other.
Top
(dyeing) To cover with another dye.
To top aniline black with methyl violet to prevent greening
Top
To put a stiffening piece or back on (a saw blade).
Top
To arrange (fruit, etc.) with the best on top.
Top
(of a horse) To strike the top of (an obstacle) with the hind feet while jumping, so as to gain new impetus.
Top
To improve (domestic animals, especially sheep) by crossing certain individuals or breeds with other superior breeds.
Top
To cut, break, or otherwise take off the top of (a steel ingot) to remove unsound metal.
Top
(golf) To strike (the ball) above the centre; also, to make (a stroke, etc.) by hitting the ball in this way.
Top
Situated on the top of something.
Top
(informal) Best; of the highest quality or rank.
She's in the top dance school.
Top
(informal) Very good, of high quality, power, or rank.
He's a top lawyer.
That is a top car.
Top
Rated first.
She came top in her French exam.
Top
A child's toy, commonly in the form of a conoid or pear, made to spin on its point, usually by drawing off a string wound round its surface or stem, the motion being sometimes continued by means of a whip.
Top
A plug, or conical block of wood, with longitudital grooves on its surface, in which the strands of the rope slide in the process of twisting.
Top
The highest part of anything; the upper end, edge, or extremity; the upper side or surface; summit; apex; vertex; cover; lid; as, the top of a spire; the top of a house; the top of a mountain; the top of the ground.
The star that bids the shepherd fold,Now the top of heaven doth hold.
Top
The utmost degree; the acme; the summit.
The top of my ambition is to contribute to that work.
Top
The highest rank; the most honorable position; the utmost attainable place; as, to be at the top of one's class, or at the top of the school.
And wears upon his baby brow the roundAnd top of sovereignty.
Top
The chief person; the most prominent one.
Other . . . aspired to be the top of zealots.
Top
The crown of the head, or the hair upon it; the head.
All the stored vengeance of Heaven fallOn her ungrateful top !
Top
The head, or upper part, of a plant.
The buds . . . are called heads, or tops, as cabbageheads.
Top
A platform surrounding the head of the lower mast and projecting on all sudes. It serves to spead the topmast rigging, thus strengheningthe mast, and also furnishes a convenient standing place for the men aloft.
Top
A bundle or ball of slivers of comkbed wool, from which the noils, or dust, have been taken out.
Top
Eve; verge; point.
Top
The part of a cut gem between the girdle, or circumference, and the table, or flat upper surface.
Top
Top-boots.
Top
A stroke on the top of the ball.
Top
To rise aloft; to be eminent; to tower; as, lofty ridges and topping mountains.
Top
To predominate; as, topping passions.
Top
To excel; to rise above others.
But write thy, and top.
Top
To strike a ball above the center.
Top
To rise at one end, as a yard; - usually with up.
Top
To cover on the top; to tip; to cap; - chiefly used in the past participle.
Like moving mountains topped with snow.
A mountOf alabaster, topped with golden spires.
Top
To rise above; to excel; to outgo; to surpass.
Topping all others in boasting.
Edmund the base shall top the legitimate.
Top
To rise to the top of; to go over the top of.
But wind about till thou hast topped the hill.
Top
To take off the or upper part of; to crop.
Top your rose trees a little with your knife.
Top
To perform eminently, or better than before.
From endeavoring universally to top their parts, they will go universally beyond them.
Top
To raise one end of, as a yard, so that that end becomes higher than the other.
Top
To cover with another dye; as, to top aniline black with methyl violet to prevent greening and crocking.
Top
To put a stiffening piece or back on (a saw blade).
Top
To arrange, as fruit, with the best on top.
Top
To strike the top of, as a wall, with the hind feet, in jumping, so as to gain new impetus; - said of a horse.
Top
To improve (domestic animals, esp. sheep) by crossing certain individuals or breeds with other superior.
Top
To raise one end of, as a yard, so that that end becomes higher than the other.
Top
To cut, break, or otherwise take off the top of (a steel ingot) to remove unsound metal.
Top
To strike (the ball) above the center; also, to make (as a stroke) by hitting the ball in this way.
Top
The upper part of anything;
The mower cuts off the tops of the grass
The title should be written at the top of the first page
Top
The highest or uppermost side of anything;
Put your books on top of the desk
Only the top side of the box was painted
Top
The top point of a mountain or hill;
The view from the peak was magnificent
They clambered to the summit of Monadnock
Top
The first half of an inning; while the visiting team is at bat;
A relief pitcher took over in the top of the fifth
Top
The highest level or degree attainable;
His landscapes were deemed the acme of beauty
The artist's gifts are at their acme
At the height of her career
The peak of perfection
Summer was at its peak
...catapulted Einstein to the pinnacle of fame
The summit of his ambition
So many highest superlatives achieved by man
At the top of his profession
Top
The greatest possible intensity;
He screamed at the top of his lungs
Top
Platform surrounding the head of a lower mast
Top
A conical child's plaything tapering to a steel point on which it can be made to spin;
He got a bright red top and string for his birthday
Top
Covering for a hole (especially a hole in the top of a container);
He removed the top of the carton
He couldn't get the top off of the bottle
Put the cover back on the kettle
Top
A garment (especially for women) that extends from the shoulders to the waist or hips;
He stared as she buttoned her top
Top
A canvas tent to house the audience at a circus performance;
He was afraid of a fire in the circus tent
They had the big top up in less than an hour
Top
Go beyond;
She exceeded our expectations
She topped her performance of last year
Top
Pass by, over, or under without making contact;
The balloon cleared the tree tops
Top
Be at the top of or constitute the top or highest point;
A star tops the Christmas Tree
Top
Be ahead of others; be the first;
She topped her class every year
Top
Provide with a top;
The towers were topped with conical roofs
Top
Reach or ascend the top of;
The hikers topped the mountain just before noon
Top
Strike (the top part of a ball in golf, baseball, or pool) giving it a forward spin
Top
Cut the top off;
Top trees and bushes
Top
Be the culminating event;
The speech crowned the meeting
Top
Finish up or conclude;
They topped off their dinner with a cognac
Top the evening with champagne
Top
Situated at the top or highest position;
The top shelf
Side fences
The side porch
Top
Not to be surpassed;
His top effort
Top
Highest in place.
She reached the top of the mountain.
Top
Covering a position of dominance.
Their team is top of the league.
Common Curiosities
Does "upper" imply something directly below it?
Not necessarily; it's just higher than another part.
Are "upper" and "top" both adjectives?
Yes, but "top" can also be a noun or verb.
Can "upper" be used interchangeably with "top"?
No, "upper" is relative, while "top" refers to the highest point.
Does "top" only relate to physical objects?
No, it can also refer to non-physical things like rankings.
Is "upper" used for clothing?
Yes, for parts above the waist or the top part of shoes.
Can "top" be a verb?
Yes, as in "to top a cake with frosting."
Can "upper" be used without comparing two things?
It's less common as it usually denotes a comparison.
Does "top" refer to quality?
Yes, it can mean the highest quality.
Is "upper" used in social hierarchies?
Yes, to describe higher levels or ranks.
Is "upper" only used for physical positions?
No, it can also refer to rank and status.
Is "upper" a formal term?
It's neutral, suitable for both formal and informal contexts.
Is "top" always the highest point?
Yes, it denotes the peak or highest degree.
Does "top" imply a singular position?
Generally, yes, it implies one highest point.
Can "top" imply success?
Yes, as in "top of the class."
Can "upper" mean the same as "upmost"?
No, "upper" is relative, while "upmost" suggests the highest.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
