preponderant

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 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 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 With preponderant influence in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, Iran is the regional power that has best been able to take advantage of the crisis in the Middle East. F. Gregory Gause Iii, Foreign Affairs, 22 Feb. 2022 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 Under federal law, race cannot be a preponderant motive in drawing a district, wrote Dr. Cervas, a fellow at Carnegie Mellon University. Jimmy Vielkind and Eliza Collins, WSJ, 21 May 2022 In theory the Russian and Indian constitutions are religiously neutral, but in practice each has a preponderant faith (respectively Orthodox Christianity and Hinduism), and both religious minorities and secularists complain of discrimination. The Economist, 14 Dec. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preponderant
Adjective
  • The first 27 operational satellites for Amazon's Kuiper broadband network lifted off from Florida's Space Coast on Monday evening, the opening salvo in a challenge to SpaceX's dominant Starlink global Internet service.
    Alex Goy, ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2025
  • In deep-red states, Trump remains a dominant force.
    Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The house is typical of the modest cottages built in the area, with a front gable and adjacent porch over the main entry.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 May 2025
  • Your typical county bureaucrat probably won’t be remembered for his ability to don a sheep costume and sing a parody song to a room full of his colleagues.
    Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2025
Adjective
  • So the predominant number of that 3,500 is from the Civil War.
    Stephen Humphries, Christian Science Monitor, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Schiava was for a long while the predominant grape of AA, yet it was not held in high regard.
    John Mariani, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The readers’ representative office is online at latimes.com/readersrep.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
  • The survey was conducted earlier in April and included a nationally representative sample of 1,380 adults.
    Maria Godoy, NPR, 23 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Preponderant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preponderant. Accessed 9 May. 2025.

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