# topless

/ˈtɑpɫəs/ (US) · /tˈɒpləs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/topless
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. unclothed on top

adjective · CEFR B2

not wearing any clothes on the top half of the body.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. featuring unclothed staff

adjective · CEFR B2

describing a place, like a bar or club, where the workers do not wear clothes on their top half.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. very high

adjective · CEFR C2 · Literary · Archaic

so high that you cannot see the top.

For teachers: 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.

### 4. without a shirt

adverb · CEFR B2

without wearing a shirt or top.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- Some people prefer to sunbathe topless at the beach.
- The resort has a designated area where guests are permitted to go topless if they choose.
- While common in many European coastal regions, sunbathing topless remains a subject of varying social norms and local regulations across different international tourist destinations.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.