NUMBER ONE Synonyms: 208 Similar and Opposite Words

number one

adjective

variants also No. 1

Definition of number one

as in main

coming before all others in importance considers international terrorism to be the number one threat to national security

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in excellent

of the very best kind the company's chocolate is rated as number one by serious chocoholics

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of number one Talked about number one in the country a year ago and some of our championships. — Tom Green | [email protected], al, 15 Mar. 2023 And North Carolina, last year's runner up and this year's preseason number one, missed out entirely. — Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2023 Depositors and workers in the companies whose deposits are in that bank need to be job number one. — CBS News, 12 Mar. 2023 The number one priority in those situations is the health of the player. — Dalton Ross, EW.com, 2 Mar. 2023 See All Example Sentences for number one

Recent Examples of Synonyms for number one

Adjective

His main instinct is to pull out a wad of bills and fling it in their faces.

— Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2026
Early Friday, a drone carrying four missiles destroyed the transformers at Shendi’s main substation, the local security committee said.

— Hamza Fahmy, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of main

Adjective

Bold from brown butter and balsamic vinegar and bright from lemon, the crunchy topping is an excellent foil to the sweetness of roasted squash.

— Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026
Their bench even has some guys providing excellent backup options.

— David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of excellent

Adjective

The Heat used Larsson, Portis, Hardaway and Nikola Jovic as its four primary reserves for the third straight game to start the season.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
One thing most agree on is that the diminishment of competitive seats leads to greater polarization because legislators are only beholden to primary voters.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of primary

Adjective

L3Harris claims its design can deliver greater range and speed than existing systems.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
Tarantino revealed the most personally meaningful piece of casting in a film filled with great performances — including supporting turns by multiple actors (Austin Butler, Mikey Madison, Sydney Sweeney) who have blown up in the seven years since.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of great

Adjective

Another complicating factor is that H1N1 has been the dominant strain this year, compared to the previous few years when the H3N2 strain was the predominant one.

— Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 30 Oct. 2026
What readers are saying The conversation explores the complex dynamics between small-scale and industrial agriculture, with a predominant focus on the challenges and implications of each approach.

— Tamar Haspel, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of predominant

Adjective

Their sorrowful slow-dance, at first with the air and then with each other, set to the ensemble evoking the crooning of a record player, is just wonderful.

— Sara Holdren, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2026
There is a wonderful offhand quality to their scenes together.

— Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of wonderful

Adjective

Mainly notable for its high-octane car chases and terrific stunt work, the film should, like most of Neeson’s recent efforts, find its biggest audiences on streaming and cable.

— Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2026
Our review praised the terrific gunplay, tense matches, and incredible graphics.

— Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of terrific

Browse Nearby Words

numberless

number one

numbers

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Number one.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/number%20one. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of number one

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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