S-tier
S-tier means the very best, the top group in a ranking, above A-tier. Calling something S-tier is strong, informal praise, borrowed from video game tier lists.
By Cal Hewitt, Gen X · Researched from public sources ·
What it means
A tier list sorts things into ranked groups labelled by letter, and S is the row above A. The Macquarie Dictionary defines S-tier as "of the highest quality or value". Because a tier is a group rather than a single slot, several things can be S-tier at once: it means best of the bunch, not the one winner. Most uses are sincere, sometimes turned up for effect. "That taco truck is S-tier" is a real recommendation. Said to a person, "you're S-tier at this" is a compliment with a gamer's grin on it. The word after it changes the flavour: "S-tier teammate" is plain praise, while "S-tier hater" is a joke that praises someone's dedication to complaining. It is informal but not rude, so it fits texts, posts and friendly chat at work, and "first-rate" or "best in class" does the same job in formal writing.
See the quick definition in the S-tier dictionary entry.
How to use it
“that taco truck is S-tier, no debate”
A sincere recommendation. The top of the speaker's ranking.
“she's an S-tier teammate”
Praise for a person, focused on the quality named.
“my S-tier is getting crowded, i need to be stricter”
Joking about putting too many things in the top row.
“earned an S rank on that level”
A related but different use: a grade a game hands you, not an opinion.
Where it came from
The Macquarie Dictionary points to "a grading system used in Japan in which tiers are typically assigned letter grades A through to F, with the S-tier sitting above A", and many Japanese-made games grade performance the same way. Fighting-game players took it up for ranking characters: a Shoryuken forum thread from August 9, 2008 asks when a character deserves S instead of A, and lays out a ladder of God Tier, SSS, SS, S, A, B, C and D.
What the S stands for has no agreed answer. TierMaker, the tier-list site, says there is no definitive origin story for the letter, and lists the usual guesses: superb, super, superior, special or the Japanese sugoi. Another guess that circulates widely online links the letter to a Japanese character meaning exemplary; it is one more guess.
From games the phrase spread to everything else. TierZoo, a YouTube channel started on July 1, 2017, ranked real animals like game characters, and its first video, calling the cane toad an S-tier build, reached 800,000 views. By 2025, S-tier was on the Macquarie Dictionary's Word of the Year longlist.
No single person is credited, the origin is commonly reported.
Where it's popular
Gaming, anime and fandom communities first, then ranking videos on YouTube and TikTok and everyday posts about food, music, films and people.
How it caught on
- August 9, 2008A Shoryuken forum thread debates when a fighting-game character is S-tier instead of A-tier, with God Tier, SSS and SS stacked above.
- July 1, 2017TierZoo launches on YouTube; its first video calls the cane toad an S-tier build and reaches 800,000 views.
- December 2021Slang.net's entry records S-tier used for movies, TV shows and cars, well beyond games.
- November 2025The Macquarie Dictionary puts S-tier on its Word of the Year longlist.
Test yourself
How high is S-tier?
0/21. In a standard tier list, where does S sit?
2. What does the S in S-tier officially stand for?
Related slang
Questions people ask
What does S-tier mean in slang?
The very best in its category. It comes from tier lists, where the S row sits above A, and calling something S-tier is strong informal praise.
Why is S-tier above A?
The Macquarie Dictionary points to a grading system used in Japan where S sits above A. Many Japanese-made games grade performance that way, and gaming communities carried the order into English tier lists.
What does the S in S-tier stand for?
It has no agreed meaning. Common guesses are superb, super, superior, special and the Japanese sugoi, and TierMaker notes there is no definitive origin story for the letter.
Is God Tier above S-tier?
In some communities, yes. God Tier is an extra, more dramatic row some lists stack above S, as a 2008 fighting-game forum ladder did. Many lists skip it, and S is the top.
Is S-tier the same as S-rank?
Close but different. S-tier is an opinion about where something belongs in a ranking. S-rank is usually a grade a game gives you for a performance.
Is it rude to call someone S-tier?
No, it is a compliment. It is informal, so choose "first-rate" or "best in class" for formal writing.
One of the most-watched early jumps from games to real life was a YouTube channel ranking animals: its first video crowned the cane toad S-tier.
- https://www.macquariedictionary.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/WOTY_2025_longlist.pdf
- https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/S-tier
- https://archive.supercombo.gg/t/when-should-you-label-something-an-s-tier-instead-of-a/45653
- https://tiermaker.com/blog/news/15/s-tier-meaning-what-does-s-tier-stand-for
- https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/people/tierzoo
- https://slang.net/meaning/s-tier
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