preponderant

Definition of preponderantnext

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of preponderant are dominant, paramount, and predominant. While all these words mean "superior to all others in influence or importance," preponderant applies to an element or factor that outweighs all others in influence or effect.

preponderant evidence in her favor

In what contexts can dominant take the place of preponderant?

In some situations, the words dominant and preponderant are roughly equivalent. However, dominant applies to something that is uppermost because ruling or controlling.

a dominant social class

When is it sensible to use paramount instead of preponderant?

The meanings of paramount and preponderant largely overlap; however, paramount implies supremacy in importance, rank, or jurisdiction.

unemployment was the paramount issue in the campaign

When would predominant be a good substitute for preponderant?

Although the words predominant and preponderant have much in common, predominant applies to something that exerts, often temporarily, the most marked influence.

a predominant emotion

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 preponderant Because sugar plantations were so large and enslaved populations were so preponderant, whites feared that any tumult would end with their heads on pikes. Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 American grand strategists also need to ask whether the country still benefits from being the preponderant provider of global public goods, such as freedom of navigation. Rebecca Lissner, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025 Market value was preponderant in determining the value of the piece of land that the state deemed worthy of expropriating. Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025 But the preponderant migrants’ motivation has been, and continues to be, to provide a better life for their families. Bill Gray, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2025 The relevance and recent growth of regional Mexican music has become undeniable, and today, the genre holds a preponderant place within the industry. Tere Aguilera, Billboard, 16 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preponderant
Adjective
  • Kenneth Walker was dominant (and record-breaking) in his regular-season Chiefs debut.
    Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The UConn football team traveled more than 1,300 miles to meet Southern Miss in near 100-degree heat for its first road game of the season and left with a dominant, 48-20, win on Saturday night.
    Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 20 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Figures such as Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul el Sayed have given Republicans an opportunity to cast Democrats as socially out of touch and misaligned with the typical voter’s values.
    Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 21 Sep. 2026
  • These costs have grown 72% since 2015 and now account for 10 to 11% of a typical monthly bill.
    Joe McGee, Hartford Courant, 20 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The exterior is clad in glass and limestone that reflects the predominant materials on Northwestern’s nearby campus.
    Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • So the Fed's predominant focus right now should be on prices.
    Scott Horsley, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • From the 760 who replied, organizers randomly selected 45, adjusting for factors such as gender, education level and age to make sure the group was representative of the city’s population.
    Esther King, The Dial, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The switch from celluloid to computer chips saw the movies transform from an illusory art form to a representative one, at the great and continued risk of forfeiting its original power.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Preponderant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preponderant. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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