superpower
noun
su·per·pow·er
ˈsü-pər-ˌpau̇(-ə)r 
1
: excessive or superior power
2
a
: an extremely powerful nation
specifically
: one of a very few dominant states in an era when the world is divided politically into these states and their satellites
b
: an international governing body able to enforce its will upon the most powerful states
c
: an extremely powerful company, organization, etc.
The retailer hoped to become a financial services superpower …—
Patricia Sellers
Patricia Sellers3
: a power or ability (such as the ability to become invisible or to fly) of the kind possessed by superheroes : a superhuman power
The Fantastic Four first appeared in November 1961, originating with four friends who journeyed to space to thwart the Russians from getting there first. They were overwhelmed by a menacing radiation cloud and their molecular structure was altered, giving each of them superpowers.—Laura Mattoon D'Amore
Laura Mattoon D'AmoreThe superpower I've always wished for is invisibility, and I chose my vocation accordingly. A novelist gets 140,000 words per one tiny author photo. That's a visibility ratio I can live with.—Barbara Kingsolver
Barbara KingsolverExamples of superpower in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This endeavor is about cementing the U.S. as a technological superpower, a center for understanding space and our solar system, and in due course, setting us up to be the first to live and work on the moon.
—Matthew Beddingfield, Scientific American, 2 Aug. 2025
In Clash of the Thundermans, when Chloe develops a destructive new superpower, the Hero League orders her to an elite boarding school for superheroes to learn control of her abilities.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 31 July 2025
Directed by Barbershop’s Tim Story, Fantastic Four finds Reed, Sue Storm (Jessica Alba), Johnny Storm (Chris Evans), Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis), and Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon) traveling to space for research, only for a cosmic storm to send them back to Earth endowed with superpowers.
—Derek Lawrence, Vulture, 30 July 2025
Its reform nevertheless aligned perfectly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s nationalist narrative of turning India into a global superpower.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 27 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for superpower
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Matthew Beddingfield, Scientific American, 2 Aug. 2025
In Clash of the Thundermans, when Chloe develops a destructive new superpower, the Hero League orders her to an elite boarding school for superheroes to learn control of her abilities.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 31 July 2025
Directed by Barbershop’s Tim Story, Fantastic Four finds Reed, Sue Storm (Jessica Alba), Johnny Storm (Chris Evans), Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis), and Victor Von Doom (Julian McMahon) traveling to space for research, only for a cosmic storm to send them back to Earth endowed with superpowers.
—Derek Lawrence, Vulture, 30 July 2025
Its reform nevertheless aligned perfectly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s nationalist narrative of turning India into a global superpower.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 27 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for superpower
Cite this Entry
“Superpower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superpower. Accessed 8 Aug. 2025.
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superpower
noun
su·per·pow·er
ˈsü-pər-ˌpau̇(-ə)r
: an extremely powerful nation
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