top hat

noun

: a tall-crowned hat usually of beaver or silk

Examples of top hat in a Sentence

He wore a top hat and tails.
Recent Examples on the Web Gosling was joined by Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ncuti Gatwa and more of the Kens from the Barbie film, who took the stage alongside their onscreen leader, donning suits with tails and top hats. Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024 That's bad news for most movies but not a slasher series: Indie horror icon Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton), the demonic silent villain with the face paint and mini top hat, returns in the third film for Christmastime shenanigans. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2024 He was profiled by SI at the beginning of the 1978-79 season and was the cover athlete wearing a tuxedo and top hat. Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press, 19 Jan. 2024 Is anything more frightening than a robot in a top hat chasing you around a restaurant with steak tartare? Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2024 One of his looks featured a distressed collared shirt, a top hat and a suit with text threaded into the fabric. Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 19 Jan. 2024 But competitors copied the idea, so the department store came up with its own story and character: Uncle Mistletoe, a jolly figure sporting a top hat and red coat, who reminded kids to be kind at Christmas. Vince Guerrieri, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Dec. 2023 Clad in a top hat and tails, with a bottle of Champagne in hand, Mr. Kirke, who was nursing a hangover from an all-night party, was the first to take the plunge thatday. Alex Williams, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2023 Bonus points, too, for the top hat, which looks as if it’s been carved out of chocolate. Radhika Seth, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'top hat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of top hat was in 1864

Dictionary Entries Near top hat

Cite this Entry

“Top hat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top%20hat. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

top hat

noun
: a man's hat with a tall crown

More from Merriam-Webster on top hat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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