superpower

noun

su·​per·​pow·​er ˈsü-pər-ˌpau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce superpower (audio)
Synonyms of superpowernext
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 comic book Ms. Marvel offers a Muslim-American girl from New Jersey who practices her faith while using her superpower to help people.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The move comes after Canadian Prime Minster Mark Carney gave an address in Davos warning against economic coercion by the world’s superpowers. Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026 Embedding more veterans across leadership functions is the first step to integrating these superpowers throughout the workforce. Heather V. MacArthur, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026 At the same time, Russia resurged as military power, and China rose as an economic superpower with an increasingly potent and global military reach. Barry Scott Zellen, Hartford Courant, 22 Jan. 2026 Taylor has continuously reinvented her own image and whole-heartedly leaned into reinvention as a superpower. Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for superpower

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of superpower was in 1849

Cite this Entry

“Superpower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superpower. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

superpower

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

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