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 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
Kareem Abdul-JabbarThe 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 licensing deals have prompted concerns that the US could grow over-reliant on Chinese biotechs, allowing the industry to potentially be weaponized in a future spat between the superpowers, the Financial Times wrote.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 1 June 2026
SpaceX is now the global superpower in terms of total rocket launches, with an average of three lift-offs per week in 2025, more than NASA or any other government space agency.
—Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Luckily, one of her superpowers is persistence.
—Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2026
Under the system that had made the US a scientific superpower, peer reviewers rated the scientific quality and feasibility of grant applications, and subject-matter experts within the funding agencies used these ratings to determine which grants got funded.
—ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for superpower
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J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 1 June 2026
SpaceX is now the global superpower in terms of total rocket launches, with an average of three lift-offs per week in 2025, more than NASA or any other government space agency.
—Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Luckily, one of her superpowers is persistence.
—Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2026
Under the system that had made the US a scientific superpower, peer reviewers rated the scientific quality and feasibility of grant applications, and subject-matter experts within the funding agencies used these ratings to determine which grants got funded.
—ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for superpower
Cite this Entry
“Superpower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superpower. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
superpower
noun
su·per·pow·er
ˈsü-pər-ˌpau̇(-ə)r
: an extremely powerful nation
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