above all

adverb

|Updated on: 14 Jun 2018

Definition of above all

: before every other consideration : especially

Recent Examples of above all from the Web

Wolff's Peter might be sitting in class, staring into space as the weight of the movie’s events crush him into a stupor, and the audience can’t help but feel sympathy, guilt, and above all, fear.

— jacob oller, The Hollywood Reporter, "How 'Hereditary' Flips Steven Spielberg's Trademark Shot," 10 June 2018
Xiaomi is above all a creature of its environment, which in China means rock-star bosses, ambiguous rules, intense competition, proximity to the world’s manufacturing hub, and fast-changing consumer behaviour.

— The Economist, "Xiaomi’s forthcoming IPO shows how the rules of business are changing," 7 June 2018
Still, amid the male-centric trajectories of the show’s primary characters, Samantha stands out for her resolute dedication to her own needs above all.

— hannah giorgis, The Atlantic, "Long Live Samantha Jones," 6 June 2018
There are grab handles above all doors but with just one coat hook above the left rear door.

— mark maynard, sandiegouniontribune.com, "2018 Honda Accord 2.0T: Near perfect, in an imperfect world," 1 June 2018
Each year when The Aegis covers Harford’s high school graduations, the editors are stuck by one aspect of that stands out above all else: Very strong communities have been formed over the students’ times in each building.

— The Aegis, "A transformative time [Editorial]," 1 June 2018
The character of Kate Middleton is defined, above all things, by not being too much.

— tara isabella burton, Vox, "What the difference between Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle says about how we conceive of the “ideal woman”," 18 May 2018
According to Sullivan, above all, timing is everything.

— Sunset, "Top Tips for Taking Awe-Inspiring National Park Photos," 22 Jan. 2018
This may lead China, which values stability on the Korean Peninsula above all else, more likely to support North Korea, said Abraham Denmark, director of the Asia Program at the Wilson Center in Washington.

— anna fifield, Washington Post, "After summit pullout, South Korea and China have little appetite for Trump’s ‘maximum pressure’," 25 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'above all.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.