supermoon

noun

su·​per·​moon ˈsü-pər-ˌmün How to pronounce supermoon (audio)
plural supermoons
: a full moon occurring when the moon is at or near the closest point in its orbit
A supermoon … occurs when the moon is full within 24 hours of being at its closest point to the Earth in its orbit.Kaleigh Rogers
Visible supermoons appear 14% bigger and 30% brighter than full moons that occur at the farthest point in the moon's orbit.Karen Hao
As the first and only supermoon of 2017 rose high into the sky this Sunday (Dec. 3), astrophotographers seized the opportunity to shoot the moon in all its bigger-than-usual glory.Hanneke Weitering

Examples of supermoon 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.
The moon orbits Earth in a slight ellipse, so a full moon can sometimes be slightly closer than usual — a supermoon. Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025 Space enthusiasts may notice the full moon appearing up to 14% smaller and 30 percent dimmer than a supermoon, according to the space agency. Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 12 Apr. 2025 The opposite of a supermoon, a micromoon appears as a slightly smaller and dimmer full moon in the night sky, the Almanac said. Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 3 Apr. 2025 The Moon In 2025 June's full moon is the sixth of 12 full moons in 2025, three of which will be supermoons (in October, November and December). Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for supermoon

Word History

First Known Use

1979, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of supermoon was in 1979

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Cite this Entry

“Supermoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supermoon. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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