paramount 1 of 2

Definition of paramountnext

paramount

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word paramount different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of paramount are dominant, predominant, and preponderant. While all these words mean "superior to all others in influence or importance," paramount implies supremacy in importance, rank, or jurisdiction.

unemployment was the paramount issue in the campaign

When is dominant a more appropriate choice than paramount?

The meanings of dominant and paramount largely overlap; however, dominant applies to something that is uppermost because ruling or controlling.

a dominant social class

Where would predominant be a reasonable alternative to paramount?

While in some cases nearly identical to paramount, predominant applies to something that exerts, often temporarily, the most marked influence.

a predominant emotion

When might preponderant be a better fit than paramount?

The synonyms preponderant and paramount are sometimes interchangeable, but preponderant applies to an element or factor that outweighs all others in influence or effect.

preponderant evidence in her favor

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 paramount
Adjective
Skipping Promotion Getting the proper foot traffic at your garage sale is paramount to a successful event. Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Apr. 2026 Slow cooking is paramount to break down what would otherwise be a tough chew of connective tissue that, when heated properly, turns the meat tender. Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026 During the year-and-a-half build, which began in February 2024, preservation of the grove’s original 200-or-so olive trees was paramount; half were sold or replanted nearby, the other half retained, or replanted (after being cared for elsewhere) back at Tella Thera. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026 The ability to lift any outfit and get hair out of the eyes when spending long periods outdoors is of paramount importance to any style and comfort-conscious traveler, and spring is really not a time for baseball caps or bad hair days. Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for paramount
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paramount
Adjective
  • One of the book’s main themes is that trauma and damage, like red hair or skill with animals, can be handed down from one generation to the next.
    Chris Hewitt, Boston Herald, 10 May 2026
  • Two smaller structures rise to six floors each, alongside the 20-story main tower.
    Adam Williams May 09, New Atlas, 9 May 2026
Adjective
  • Our department treats every report with the utmost seriousness to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and schools.
    Mark Prussin, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Our leaders owe it to all of us to do their utmost to prevent this fate from befalling anyone else.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • As the founder, face, and namesake of the Rob Has a Podcast network, Cesternino has built up a hub for reality-TV alumni and its cast of fans turned podcasters to dish on everything from Survivor and Big Brother to The Traitors and RuPaul’s Drag Race.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 7 May 2026
  • Will there be a season 28 of 'Big Brother'?
    David Wysong, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 May 2026
Adjective
  • Diggins provided the type of over-the-top service that Cardoso sought for most of her WNBA career, setting the young center up for 22 points on 15 shots.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 10 May 2026
  • In Chris Robinson’s eight years as Lake Highland Prep’s girls lacrosse head coach the Highlanders have faced American Heritage of Delray Beach every year in the final four, with most of those games coming down to the last minute.
    Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 May 2026
Noun
  • But, ten years later, his embrace of near-totalitarian control bears the deep imprint of his most personal beliefs about force, weakness, faith, and order.
    Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2022
  • But that would not address the fundamental goal of the protests: to end the totalitarian stranglehold that has subjected the Cubans to an unbearable serfdom.
    Néstor T. Carbonell, National Review, 16 July 2021
Adjective
  • That nickname cemented itself in the 1990s, when the team became one of baseball’s foremost powers, winning the division title year after year, reaching the World Series five times and winning in 1995, and producing five Hall of Fame players.
    Andrew Kirell, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
  • His melding of blues, country, and gospel music placed him among the foremost pioneers of rockabilly and ultimately defined the genre of rock and roll.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 May 2026
Adjective
  • The conspiracy charge holds a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, while the kidnapping charge is punishable by up to 20 years.
    Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Accessible rooms cluster near reception on upper levels, convenient for restaurants but requiring maximum logistics to reach pools or beach.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The game is a playground for Russian oligarchs, Middle Eastern potentates, and Latin American strongmen—his people.
    Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Biden put this sentiment into action by working with Netanyahu despite serious moral and political failures in Gaza, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on NATO expansion, and with Gulf potentates on the region’s security architecture.
    James Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Paramount.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paramount. Accessed 11 May. 2026.

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