Meanings
plural top brasses
- collectivecolloquialuncountableusuallyA group of people who are the leaders or heads of an organization.
On 3 January, Republican senator Rick Scott urged in a letter to Newsweek’s top brass to “reconsider its relationship with Vipp Jaswal”.
2022 January 22, Vincent Ni, “China hires western TikTokers to polish its image during 2022 Winter Olympics”, in The Guardian3 more examples
The top brass of the army are up to various types of mischief and they do not want the public or even Members of Parliament to know about them.
1872, New Zealand Parliament, House of Representatives, “Parliamentary debates”, in 57, volumes 1-6, page 649The general who turned the tide at Alamein was not, prior to his arrival in the Middle East, one of the very "top brass"; but he was a soldier, not a detergent manufacturer.
1962 February, “No Talent on the Railways?”, in Modern Railways, page 74The military's top brass were seen making the decision on Russian state TV, with Gen Surovikin reporting on the situation on the ground in Kherson.
2022 November 9, “Kherson: Russia to withdraw troops from key Ukrainian city”, in BBC NewsSynonyms: governance, governing body, organisation, administration, establishment
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA group of people who are the leaders or heads of an organization.
Origin
Originally military slang, from [the] brass (“high-ranking officers”).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish päällystö
- päällystögroup of people who are the leaders
Spanish plana mayor
- plana mayorgroup of people who are the leaders
Cite this entry
top brass. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/top%20brass
“top brass.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/top%20brass. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “top brass,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/top%20brass.
Source: top brass on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.