top priority
Most urgent matter
A top priority is something that demands attention before all other matters.
When you designate something as your top priority, you commit to addressing it first, ahead of competing concerns.
The phrase often appears in business and political contexts where multiple urgent issues vie for limited resources: Customer safety is our top priority.
Despite its singular form, people routinely claim several things as their top priority, diluting the term's force.
Needing immediate attention
- pressingRequiring immediate attention
- imperativeUnavoidably necessary
- crucialOf supreme importance
- vitalEssential or sustaining existence
emergency · crisis · dire · acute · grave · serious · desperate · life-and-death
Highest in importance
- leadingGuiding or pacing type
- dominantHaving superior influence
- chiefTop-ranking leader
- principalChief school administrator
preeminent · paramount · sovereign · ultimate · apex · zenith · summit · peak
Forming the base
- coreCentral essential portion
- keyLock-opening device
- primaryChief in importance
- basicFundamental in nature
necessary · indispensable · integral · central · main · foundational · prerequisite · requisite
Happening without delay
- pressingRequiring immediate attention
- time-sensitiveRequiring prompt action
- deadlineTime limit for completion
- rushQuick sudden movement
expedite · prompt · swift · quick · rapid · fast-track · accelerate · hurried
urgent
Needing immediate attention
- pressingRequiring immediate attention
- imperativeUnavoidably necessary
- crucialOf supreme importance
vital · emergency · crisis · dire · acute · grave · serious · desperate · life-and-death · do-or-die
foremost
Highest in importance
principal · preeminent · paramount · sovereign · ultimate · apex · zenith · summit · peak · pinnacle
fundamental
Forming the base
basic · necessary · indispensable · integral · central · main · foundational · prerequisite · requisite · underlying
immediate
Happening without delay
- pressingRequiring immediate attention
- time-sensitiveRequiring prompt action
- deadlineTime limit for completion
rush · expedite · prompt · swift · quick · rapid · fast-track · accelerate · hurried · speedy
top prioritylow priority
Not requiring immediate attention
afterthought · back burner · nonissue · footnote · side issue
top priorityoptional
Not mandatory
nonessential · dispensable · unnecessary · discretionary · nice-to-have
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