Definitions
01unclothed on top
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. not wearing any clothes on the top half of the body.
adj. naked from the waist up; lacking a garment to cover the chest or torso.
“Some people prefer sunbathing topless to avoid tan lines on their shoulders.”
“The resort designated a specific area of the private beach where guests were permitted to sunbathe topless if they chose.”
Synonyms
02featuring unclothed staff
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. describing a place, like a bar or club, where the workers do not wear clothes on their top half.
adj. denoting a commercial establishment, such as a bar or restaurant, where employees or performers are unclothed from the waist up.
“The city has strict rules about where topless bars can be located.”
“The zoning board debated whether the license for the topless club should be renewed given its proximity to the residential district.”
03very high
C2 · Proficiency Literary · Archaic
adj. so high that you cannot see the top.
adj. reaching a height that appears limitless; towering or immeasurably tall.
“The poet wrote about the topless towers of the ancient city.”
“Marlowe famously alluded to the 'topless towers of Ilium,' using the adjective to evoke a sense of architectural grandeur that defied human scale.”
04without a shirt
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adv. without wearing a shirt or top.
adv. in a state of being unclothed from the waist up.
“He spent the whole afternoon swimming topless in the pool.”
“The hikers decided to walk topless for the final mile of the trail to cool down in the summer heat.”
Synonyms
Etymology
From top + -less.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/topless
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0