paramount 1 of 2

paramount

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word paramount different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of paramount are dominant, predominant, and preponderant. While all these words mean "superior to all others in influence or importance," paramount implies supremacy in importance, rank, or jurisdiction.

unemployment was the paramount issue in the campaign

When is dominant a more appropriate choice than paramount?

The meanings of dominant and paramount largely overlap; however, dominant applies to something that is uppermost because ruling or controlling.

a dominant social class

Where would predominant be a reasonable alternative to paramount?

While in some cases nearly identical to paramount, predominant applies to something that exerts, often temporarily, the most marked influence.

a predominant emotion

When might preponderant be a better fit than paramount?

The synonyms preponderant and paramount are sometimes interchangeable, but preponderant applies to an element or factor that outweighs all others in influence or effect.

preponderant evidence in her favor

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of paramount
Adjective
There is the issue of Haiti and its stability, which is paramount. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2025 The city denies that and produced statistics showing the crime rate has been declining since the late 1990s, proof that protecting residents is of paramount importance. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2025 But having that guy in place is paramount to our success. Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 26 Feb. 2025 Slow down and stay cautious: On wet roads, slowing down is paramount. Bay Area Weather Report, The Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for paramount
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paramount
Adjective
  • In addition to a cozy and updated three-bedroom, 1,600-square-foot main home, there’s a small 19th-century cabin with a rock chimney still standing on the property.
    David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2025
  • My one and only visit was decades ago, in middle school, when my main priority was riding the roller coaster.
    Mariah Tyler, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Backup quarterback could be of the utmost importance or may not matter at all in 2025.
    David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2025
  • The aim was to preserve the authenticity of Adrien and Felicity’s performances in another language, not to replace or alter them and done with the utmost respect for the craft.
    Elizabeth Stanton, Fox News, 7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • His slashing and outside shot are key to the Grizzlies’ success, but his versatility on defense is what separates him from most other bigs.
    William Guillory, The Athletic, 5 Mar. 2025
  • The tourism board actually has a very detailed and helpful site for planning golf travel compared to most destinations.
    Larry Olmsted, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Ridicule only appeals to cool kids on coasts and the college towns and totalitarians.
    Letters to the Editor, Orange County Register, 17 Oct. 2020
  • Under the unconditional patronage of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kadyrov rules his republic as a totalitarian, and has done so since taking power in May 2004, after his father, then President Akhmad Kadyrov, was assassinated.
    Layla Taimienova, Foreign Affairs, 10 May 2017
Noun
  • The cover of the first issue of The New Yorker, dated Feb. 21, 1925, carried no portraits of potentates or tycoons, no headlines, no come-ons.
    Christopher B. Daly, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2025
  • Or were all those billionaire potentates in the Capitol Rotunda — seated in front of Trump’s Cabinet picks — asserting their social, economic and cultural hegemony?
    Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The biographical circumstances and the reddish tinge of the foremost prisoner’s hair have led commentators to interpret the image metaphorically, even solipsistically––the prisoner becomes a cipher for van Gogh, physically and psychologically incarcerated.
    Sarah C. Schaefer, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2025
  • Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.
    Christian Oberbeck, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Watch Ant-Man and the Wasp on Disney+ Avengers: Infinity War Thanos (Josh Brolin) and his crew intercept a ship of survivors from Asgard, taking control of the Space Stone — one of the six Infinity Stones that hold ultimate power over a different element.
    Jacqueline Weiss, People.com, 8 Mar. 2025
  • This scent is a 2024 Best of Beauty Award winner, the ultimate accolade.
    Sarah Han, Allure, 7 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Comeback stories have been heralded and our AI robot overlords have been held at bay — for now.
    Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Add to that, a cunning House Speaker (Modine), tech overlords, Wall Street power brokers, and some White House secrets from Mullen’s single term in office.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Paramount.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paramount. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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