preeminent

adjective

prē-ˈe-mə-nənt How to pronounce preeminent (audio)
Definition of preeminentnext
1
as in greatest
coming before all others in importance the preeminent reason for the booming economy

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2
as in chief
highest in rank or authority the preeminent golfer of his generation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in outstanding
standing above others in rank, importance, or achievement a meeting of preeminent scientists from around the world

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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 preeminent Miller published; was the preeminent historian, after World War II, of Puritan New England. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026 The preeminent financial news network is transforming from a business rooted in linear cable to multiplatform digital. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 30 June 2026 Elon Musk, the world’s preeminent innovator and visionary, becomes the world’s first trillionaire — and the political Left seethes. — Michael Zais, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2026 The desire to recoup tariff revenue and refill the Treasury’s coffers, now being depleted by refunds to importers, is a preeminent priority. — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for preeminent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preeminent
  1. main
  2. chief
  3. outstanding
  4. primary
  5. foremost
  6. distinguished
  7. dominant
  8. commanding
Adjective
  • Of the 33 schools awarded grants, 19 schools opted for main entrance improvements while 14 chose to modernize their check-in and visitor badging systems.
    — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • India’s main stock index last month outperformed other emerging markets by the most since November, and foreign outflows hit a four-month low.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of main
Adjective
  • Toward the middle, chief housekeepers can earn between $4,000 and $7,000 monthly, while executive chefs can make $5,000 to $9,000.
    — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 8 July 2026
  • Major Garrett, the network’s chief Washington correspondent, will also have a contributor role.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of chief
Adjective
  • Allen scored the Emmy nomination for outstanding guest actress in a drama series for her role as Roxie Hamler, a terminally ill cancer patient who arrives at the emergency room after breaking her leg and suffering from seizures.
    — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
  • The nominees for the 78th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were unveiled Wednesday, with Hollywood honoring a slew of new shows and setting up what’s expected to be a battle among two legends in the race for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series.
    — Dan Heching, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
Definition of outstanding
Adjective
  • Leaving spring training, one of the primary concerns for the Rangers was its bullpen, and halfway through the season this group ranks 10th in MLB.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026
  • The district’s surveillance traps show numbers of Culex mosquitos — the primary vectors of West Nile virus — are at their highest.
    — Alula Alderson, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of primary
Adjective
  • Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.
    — Krutarth Shah, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • Some of the world’s foremost experts in TND and vaccine evaluation are at the CDC.
    — Ben Lopman, STAT, 2 July 2026
Definition of foremost
Adjective
  • Its method is both distinguished and derived from nineteenth-century classics, from which Rohmer distills a modernism of variety, ambiguity, complexity, and fragmentation.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 9 July 2026
  • Brand was inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1972 and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1978 as a distinguished member.
    — Norah Judson, Des Moines Register, 9 July 2026
Definition of distinguished
Adjective
  • Then Ryan played his part in achieving those goals Sunday, posting a dominant performance in New York.
    — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 6 July 2026
  • The Angels dropped their fifth straight and 11th in 17 games, while Gray’s six-game run of dominant quality starts continues despite an All-Star snub.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of dominant
Adjective
  • Edwards, who had been the commanding officer of HSC-5 since July 2025, was posthumously promoted to captain, the Navy said in a statement.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 9 July 2026
  • And beyond all the light and magic of their goals, this was just a very commanding team performance.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of commanding

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Cite this Entry

“Preeminent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preeminent. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of preeminent for Spanish Speakers

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