supermajority

noun su·per·ma·jor·i·ty \ ˈsü-pər-mə-ˌjȯr-ə-tē , -ˌjär- \

|Updated on: 21 Jul 2018

Definition of supermajority

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

Recent Examples of supermajority from the Web

Eleven states, plus the District of Columbia, have no such restrictions on changing legislative, so the legislature may amend or overturn citizen initiatives with simple majority or supermajority votes.

— maya sweedler, WSJ, "Washington, D.C., Council Members Consider Repeal of Voter-Passed Minimum-Wage Increase," 12 July 2018
Only 34 percent of voters supported Amendment 5, which came from the Legislature and would require a supermajority vote by the state House and Senate when enacting taxes or fees.

— lloyd dunkelberger, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Gambling expansion amendment has enough support to pass, poll shows," 13 June 2018
National Amusements had tried to block the move by changing the CBS bylaws to require a supermajority vote to issue the dividend.

— NBC News, "CBS votes to kick out parent company National Amusements, setting up court battle," 18 May 2018
Even in Canada, the parliament and the provinces retain the power to reverse Supreme Court decisions with supermajority votes.

— dylan matthews, Vox, "Court-packing, Democrats’ nuclear option for the Supreme Court, explained," 2 July 2018
If every state’s Senate vote reflected its national orientation, Republicans would have a natural supermajority.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "The Republican Court and the Era of Minority Rule," 27 June 2018
But Gorod countered that in this political climate -- with Republicans in control of both branches of government -- the President would veto any legislation that passed, then a supermajority would need to override that veto.

— katelyn polantz, CNN, "Democratic lawmakers make their case in court to stop Trump business from accepting foreign payments," 7 June 2018
His Fidesz party again prevailed in April elections, giving him a third consecutive parliamentary supermajority.

— zoltan simon, Bloomberg.com, "Why Hungary and Poland Rattle Europe's Liberal Order: QuickTake," 1 June 2018
Orban’s Fidesz party and a small ally won 133 of 199 seats in the legislature on April 8, a supermajority that will allow them to amend the Constitution unchallenged.

— pablo gorondi, BostonGlobe.com, "Hungary’s parliament elects premier Viktor Orban to 4th term," 11 May 2018

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