supermajority

noun

su·​per·​ma·​jor·​i·​ty ˈsü-pər-mə-ˌjȯr-ə-tē 

-ˌjär-

plural supermajorities

: a majority (such as two-thirds or three-fifths) that is greater than a simple majority

treaty ratification requires a supermajority

Furthermore, it is about even money that soon after Congress convenes in January it will … approve a constitutional amendment to require supermajorities (three-fifths) in both houses of Congress to approve deficit spending.

—George F. Will

The company, for instance, has a supermajority clause in its articles of incorporation; 80% of the shareholders must approve any sale or merger.

—Joshua Hyatt

Examples of supermajority in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Several council members, including Paige Ellis, pushed for a woman in the role as Austin’s council reached a near supermajority of women for the first time. —Chaya Tong, Austin American Statesman, 9 Jan. 2026

Senate Democrats will have slightly more influence in 2026 after winning a trio of special elections and flipping two seats to break Republicans' former 34-seat supermajority. —Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register, 8 Jan. 2026

The legislature, with a Republican supermajority in both the state House and Senate, will have tough decisions to make amid federal funding cuts and a potential revenue shortfall. —Hannah Pinski, Louisville Courier Journal, 6 Jan. 2026

Iowa Democrats need to hold a State Senate seat in suburban Des Moines in order to prevent Republicans from regaining a supermajority. —New York Times, 31 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for supermajority

• exteriority
• inferiority
• superiority
• authority
• majority
• minority
• priority
• seniority
• sonority
• sorority

Legal Definition

supermajority

noun

su·​per·​ma·​jor·​i·​ty ˈsü-pər-mə-ˌjȯr-ə-tē 

: a large majority

a provision requiring a supermajority vote — say, 80 % of the common shares instead of the usual bare majority rule

—R. C. Clark