1
: highest in rank or authority
the supreme commander
especially
: in a position of unquestioned authority, dominance, or influence
the nation's supreme leader
This Constitution … shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding. —
U.S. Constitution
U.S. Constitution In that house Lady Fawn reigned supreme, and no one ever doubted, for a moment, as to obedience. —Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope On the runways, glitter and gorgeousness ruled supreme … —Liza Foreman
see also supreme being
Liza Foreman 2
: greatest in degree, quality, or intensity
supreme satisfaction/pleasure/indifference
His was the perfect poise, the supreme confidence in self, which nothing could shake …—Jack London
Jack London3
: characterized by highest excellence or achievement : outstanding
supreme among musicians
a supreme athlete
… does not a supreme poet blend light and sound into one, calling darkness mute, and light eloquent?—George Eliot
George Eliot4
b
: of utmost importance : crucial
… I knew exactly what I wanted to do as an adult. I would study dinosaurs, a firm conviction inspired by one supreme moment of childhood terror dissipated by fascination—my first look at Tyrannosaurus rex in the American Museum of Natural History.—Stephen Jay Gould
Stephen Jay Gould
supremely
adverb
a supremely [=extremely] confident performer/player
supremely important ideas
supremeness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of supreme in a Sentence
The board has supreme authority over such issues.
She has an air of supreme confidence about her.
the supreme example of what not to do
a problem of supreme importance
It's a matter of supreme indifference to her.
Recent Examples on the Web
Had these decisions taken hold, harm reduction principles would have become part of our supreme law and helped check the explosion of the prison population.
—David Pozen, TIME, 25 Apr. 2024
Today, Apocalypse Now is universally acknowledged as one of the most imaginative, original and engrossing films of the past century, perhaps the supreme exemplar of the heroic age of analog filmmaking, the like of which may never be seen again.
—Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Apr. 2024
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been the supreme leader of Iran since 1989.
—Joy Burton, NBC News, 20 Apr. 2024
Bolstered by the supreme production of about a dozen producers (Federico, Vindver, Vibarco, Gino Borro, Sir Nola and more), the duo’s vibrant and glitch-filled electronic tracks oscillate between the frenzy of dance-punk and the allure of kitschy pop.
—Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 19 Apr. 2024
The Iranian supreme leader's decision not to address Israel's retaliatory strike shows a drastic gap between this previous rhetoric and the country's disposition moving forward.
—Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 19 Apr. 2024
Plus, offensively, Nurkic is a supreme facilitator from the top of the floor who is adept at finding cutters or executing dribble handoffs.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 19 Apr. 2024
Guided by the cautiousness of the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who has emphasized the long game and considers Iran’s victory over its enemies to be inevitable, these relative pragmatists viewed the status quo as favoring Iran more than Israel.
—Afshon Ostovar, Foreign Affairs, 19 Apr. 2024
Two years after their split, the supreme leader of Iran at the time, Ayatollah Khomeini, ordered Rushdie's execution.
—Stephanie Kaloi, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024
David Pozen, TIME, 25 Apr. 2024
Today, Apocalypse Now is universally acknowledged as one of the most imaginative, original and engrossing films of the past century, perhaps the supreme exemplar of the heroic age of analog filmmaking, the like of which may never be seen again.
—Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Apr. 2024
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been the supreme leader of Iran since 1989.
—Joy Burton, NBC News, 20 Apr. 2024
Bolstered by the supreme production of about a dozen producers (Federico, Vindver, Vibarco, Gino Borro, Sir Nola and more), the duo’s vibrant and glitch-filled electronic tracks oscillate between the frenzy of dance-punk and the allure of kitschy pop.
—Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 19 Apr. 2024
The Iranian supreme leader's decision not to address Israel's retaliatory strike shows a drastic gap between this previous rhetoric and the country's disposition moving forward.
—Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 19 Apr. 2024
Plus, offensively, Nurkic is a supreme facilitator from the top of the floor who is adept at finding cutters or executing dribble handoffs.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 19 Apr. 2024
Guided by the cautiousness of the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who has emphasized the long game and considers Iran’s victory over its enemies to be inevitable, these relative pragmatists viewed the status quo as favoring Iran more than Israel.
—Afshon Ostovar, Foreign Affairs, 19 Apr. 2024
Two years after their split, the supreme leader of Iran at the time, Ayatollah Khomeini, ordered Rushdie's execution.
—Stephanie Kaloi, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'supreme.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near supreme
Cite this Entry
“Supreme.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supreme. Accessed 1 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
supreme
adjective
su·preme
sə-ˈprēm 
sü-
1
: highest in rank or authority
2
: highest in degree or quality
3
: greatest in degree
giving one's life is the supreme sacrifice
supremely
adverb
supremeness
noun
Etymology
from Latin supremus, a form of superus "upper," from super "over, above"
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