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
The world too needs to be grateful that the two superpowers are talking like adults again, and with a one year trade truce in motion, are starting to take a more pragmatic path.
—Kerry Brown, Time, 31 Oct. 2025
The world is watching this and the other exhibits of a superpower going off the rails—and drawing conclusions.
—Dan Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
But any agreement reached will be just one touchstone in a thorny and volatile great power rivalry between the world’s superpower democracy and an authoritarian China, whose growing military assertiveness under Xi in the East and South China Seas is rattling US allies in the region.
—Betsy Klein, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Tensions between the world’s two economic superpowers have been on a boil this year.
—Kevin Breuninger,anniek Bao,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for superpower
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Kerry Brown, Time, 31 Oct. 2025
The world is watching this and the other exhibits of a superpower going off the rails—and drawing conclusions.
—Dan Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
But any agreement reached will be just one touchstone in a thorny and volatile great power rivalry between the world’s superpower democracy and an authoritarian China, whose growing military assertiveness under Xi in the East and South China Seas is rattling US allies in the region.
—Betsy Klein, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Tensions between the world’s two economic superpowers have been on a boil this year.
—Kevin Breuninger,anniek Bao,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 30 Oct. 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 4 Nov. 2025.
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superpower
noun
su·per·pow·er
ˈsü-pər-ˌpau̇(-ə)r
: an extremely powerful nation
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