English Reference
Adjective

uppermost

adj.
C2 Proficiency US /ˈəpɝˌmoʊst/ UK /ˈʌpəmˌəʊst/ up·per·most

adj.most important or the one that is on the top. You use it to describe the thing that is most in your mind or the highest part of something.

adj.most prominent in the mind or most important in significance; alternatively, situated on the top or upper part of something. Often used in the phrase 'uppermost in one's mind'.


SIMPLE

The safety of the children is uppermost in my mind.

CONTEXTUAL

When planning the new office layout, the architect ensured that the uppermost priority was natural light and open space.

COMPLEX

While the technical specifications were impressive, the uppermost concern for the board remained the long-term sustainability of the project and its impact on the local community.

Now, as they celebrate, or hurriedly activate, their plan B, the day-to-day costs of student life probably aren’t uppermost in their mind.

The Guardian· 15 Aug 2026

Orbiting satellites can examine the lunar surface, but their instruments mainly detect material in the uppermost layer of soil.

ScienceDaily· 3 Aug 2026

From Middle English upper-moste; equivalent to upper + -most.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Middle English upper-moste
Level C2 · Proficiency
Frequency Occasional
Updated