supermajority

noun

su·​per·​ma·​jor·​i·​ty ˈsü-pər-mə-ˌjȯr-ə-tē 

-ˌjär-

plural supermajorities

: a majority (such as two-thirds or three-fifths) that is greater than a simple majority

treaty ratification requires a supermajority

Furthermore, it is about even money that soon after Congress convenes in January it will … approve a constitutional amendment to require supermajorities (three-fifths) in both houses of Congress to approve deficit spending.

—George F. Will

The company, for instance, has a supermajority clause in its articles of incorporation; 80% of the shareholders must approve any sale or merger.

—Joshua Hyatt

Examples of supermajority in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The 2024 election delivered Democratic victories for half of the council of state offices — including Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, and Superintendent of Public Instruction — and broke the GOP’s legislative supermajority by one seat. —Christopher Cooper / Made By History, TIME, 11 Dec. 2024

Yes, Democrats maintained their supermajority in Sacramento. —Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024

North Carolina Republican lawmakers, who are slated to lose their supermajority in the state Legislature next year, voted to strip the incoming Democratic governor and attorney general of key powers. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 21 Nov. 2024

Eliminating the department would require congressional action, likely including a supermajority of 60 votes in the Senate, the Washington Post reported. —Ivana Saric, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

supermajority

noun

su·​per·​ma·​jor·​i·​ty ˈsü-pər-mə-ˌjȯr-ə-tē 

: a large majority

a provision requiring a supermajority vote — say, 80 % of the common shares instead of the usual bare majority rule

—R. C. Clark