superpower
noun
su·per·pow·er
ˈsü-pər-ˌpau̇(-ə)r 
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 superpower …—
Patricia Sellers
Patricia Sellers3
: 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
Kareem Abdul-JabbarThe 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
Barbara KingsolverExamples of superpower in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The streamer released a new teaser on Monday for its DC Universe crime drama that offers new glimpses of Hal Jordan’s Green Lantern superpowers as well as a first look at a mysterious character portrayed by Laura Linney.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Labor unions and worker representatives also pointed out that this was not simply about rival superpowers meeting in Beijing, but about how thousands of factories across Asia—and millions of apparel workers in the region—would sustain their livelihoods in the years ahead.
—Mayu Saini, Footwear News, 18 May 2026
But qubits, despite their superpowers, are incredibly fragile and require isolation from the outside world.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 18 May 2026
Why The Superpowers Are Worried A small island state has forced the world’s superpowers and fossil fuel economies to negotiate over the legal consequences of climate harm.
—Ingmar Rentzhog, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for superpower
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Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Labor unions and worker representatives also pointed out that this was not simply about rival superpowers meeting in Beijing, but about how thousands of factories across Asia—and millions of apparel workers in the region—would sustain their livelihoods in the years ahead.
—Mayu Saini, Footwear News, 18 May 2026
But qubits, despite their superpowers, are incredibly fragile and require isolation from the outside world.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 18 May 2026
Why The Superpowers Are Worried A small island state has forced the world’s superpowers and fossil fuel economies to negotiate over the legal consequences of climate harm.
—Ingmar Rentzhog, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for superpower
Cite this Entry
“Superpower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superpower. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
superpower
noun
su·per·pow·er
ˈsü-pər-ˌpau̇(-ə)r
: an extremely powerful nation
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