superpower

noun

su·​per·​pow·​er ˈsü-pər-ˌpau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce superpower (audio)
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 superpowerPatricia Sellers
3
: 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
The 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
superpowered adjective

Examples of superpower in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The anxiety behind Big Tech crackdowns The European Union this week enshrined the most consequential law to date trying to knock America’s technology superpowers down a peg. Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 At Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech conference in December, Khosla said the U.S. and China’s AI arms race would ultimately decide which of the two superpowers would exert political influence over the world. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2024 The city’s global reputation took a hit after years of pandemic isolation drove an exodus of talent and a sweeping crackdown on political freedoms turned it into a flashpoint in fraught relations between the world’s two superpowers. Alan Wong, Fortune Asia, 2 Mar. 2024 Use Your Empathy And Emotional Intelligence Use your superpowers: empathy and emotional intelligence. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Mbappé, alongside first Neymar and then Lionel Messi, too, was supposed to establish the club as a genuine superpower, an equal of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and the giants of the Premier League. Rory Smith, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 The military operation began days after Russia hosted the Winter Olympics in Sochi, on which Putin had lavished a record $50 billion to showcase Russia as a sporting superpower. Tribune News Service, Orange County Register, 14 Feb. 2024 The committee was formed in 2023 and has held numerous hearings focused on human rights, trade, cyber intrusions and other issues central to the rising tensions between the two superpowers. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 23 Feb. 2024 Multiculturalism is an equal part of London’s creative superpower as a fashion city as its individualism. Sarah Mower, Vogue, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'superpower.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of superpower was in 1849

Dictionary Entries Near superpower

Cite this Entry

“Superpower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superpower. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

superpower

noun
su·​per·​pow·​er ˈsü-pər-ˌpau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce superpower (audio)
: an extremely powerful nation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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