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

That means that the Republicans need to pick up seven seats in the Assembly and four in the Senate to break the Democratic supermajority. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025

This is standard operating budget procedure by the Democratic supermajority. —William Melhado, Sacramento Bee, 14 Mar. 2025

Passage in the 100-member Senate requires 60 votes, or a supermajority. —George Petras, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2025

In the last few years, reckless politicians with a supermajority in the State House have increased the budget by nearly a third, never lacking in their creativity in how to spend taxpayer money. —John Teichert, Baltimore Sun, 3 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for supermajority

• exteriority
• inferiority
• superiority
• authority
• majority
• minority
• priority
• seniority
• sonority
• sorority

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