Top-down processing is a cognitive approach where our brain uses prior knowledge, experiences, and expectations to interpret sensory information. This means that our understanding of what we see, hear, or feel is influenced by what we already know, allowing us to quickly make sense of complex stimuli. For example, when reading a sentence, we often recognize words even if they are partially obscured or misspelled. Our brain fills in the gaps based on context and familiarity with language, demonstrating how top-down processing helps us efficiently navigate our environment and understand information.