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 Fantastic Four first appeared in November 1961, originating with four friends who journeyed to space to thwart the Russians from getting there first. They were overwhelmed by a menacing radiation cloud and their molecular structure was altered, giving each of them superpowers.—Laura Mattoon D'Amore
Laura Mattoon D'AmoreThe 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 legacy of colonialism and Cold War entanglements that drew parts of the region into superpower rivalries and proxy wars left many Southeast Asian countries wary of aligning too closely with any one major power.
—Lynn Kuok, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2025
Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine triggered the worst confrontation between Moscow and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis - which is considered to be the time when the two Cold War superpowers came closest to intentional nuclear war.
—Guy Faulconbridge, USA Today, 13 Apr. 2025
Though such high-level meetings typically take weeks or even months to plan, the timing of the announcements – just days after the two economic superpowers imposed record-high tariffs on each other – underscores Xi’s message that China is not backing down.
—Nectar Gan, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2025
Recently Esposito spoke to The Times about living with bipolar disorder and using it as her superpower in comedy.
—Nate Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for superpower
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Lynn Kuok, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2025
Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine triggered the worst confrontation between Moscow and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis - which is considered to be the time when the two Cold War superpowers came closest to intentional nuclear war.
—Guy Faulconbridge, USA Today, 13 Apr. 2025
Though such high-level meetings typically take weeks or even months to plan, the timing of the announcements – just days after the two economic superpowers imposed record-high tariffs on each other – underscores Xi’s message that China is not backing down.
—Nectar Gan, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2025
Recently Esposito spoke to The Times about living with bipolar disorder and using it as her superpower in comedy.
—Nate Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for superpower
Cite this Entry
“Superpower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superpower. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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superpower
noun
su·per·pow·er
ˈsü-pər-ˌpau̇(-ə)r
: an extremely powerful nation
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