superpower

noun

su·​per·​pow·​er ˈsü-pər-ˌpau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce superpower (audio)
Synonyms of superpowernext
1
: excessive or superior power
2
a
: an extremely powerful nation
specifically : one of a very few dominant states in an era when the world is divided politically into these states and their satellites
b
: an international governing body able to enforce its will upon the most powerful states
c
: an extremely powerful company, organization, etc.
The retailer hoped to become a financial services superpowerPatricia Sellers
3
: a power or ability (such as the ability to become invisible or to fly) of the kind possessed by superheroes : a superhuman power
The comic book Ms. Marvel offers a Muslim-American girl from New Jersey who practices her faith while using her superpower to help people.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The superpower I've always wished for is invisibility, and I chose my vocation accordingly. A novelist gets 140,000 words per one tiny author photo. That's a visibility ratio I can live with.Barbara Kingsolver
superpowered adjective

Examples of superpower in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
By the start of the new millennium, with China only beginning its rise, there stood just a single superpower in the world. Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 3 July 2026 But that would make the team’s depth worse, and depth has been an important superpower for Indiana in recent years. Tony East, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 The world’s leading superpower was outsmarted by Iran, perhaps because Iran’s secretary of defense took his job seriously. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 29 June 2026 But the fact is that a medium-sized power at this point is perceived to have fought a superpower to a draw, requiring some measure of accommodation of we, the superpower. CBS News, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for superpower

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of superpower was in 1849

Cite this Entry

“Superpower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superpower. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

superpower

noun
su·​per·​pow·​er ˈsü-pər-ˌpau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce superpower (audio)
: an extremely powerful nation

More from Merriam-Webster on superpower

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster