paramount

1 coming before all others in importance the paramount goal is to restore the colonial-era house with complete historical accuracy Synonyms arch, big, capital, cardinal, central, chief, dominant, first, grand, great, greatest, highest, key, leading, main, master, number one (also No. 1), numero uno, overbearing, overmastering, overriding, foremost, predominant, preeminent, premier, primal, primary, principal, prior, sovereign (also sovran), supremeRelated Words distinguished, eminent, illustrious, noble, notable, noteworthy, outstanding, prestigious, signal, star, stellar, superior; high-level, senior, top; important, influential, major, mighty, momentous, significant; incomparable, matchless, unequaled (or unequalled), unparalleled, unsurpassed; celebrated, famed, famous, renownedNear Antonyms inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, minor, negligible, slight, trifling, trivial, unimportant; collateral, inferior, secondary, subordinate, subsidiaryAntonyms last, least

2 of the greatest or highest degree or quantity maintaining the secrecy of the agreement is of paramount importance Synonyms consummate, last, max, maximum, most, nth, outside, ultimate, supreme, top, utmost, uttermostRelated Words unequaled (or unequalled), unmatched, unparalleled, unrivaled (or unrivalled), unsurpassed; biggest, hugest, largest; topmost, upmost, uppermostNear Antonyms littlest, minutest, smallest, tiniest; lowest; fewestAntonyms least, minimal, minimum, slightest