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Synonyms

supremacy

American  
[suh-prem-uh-see, soo-] / səˈprɛm ə si, sʊ- /

noun

  1. the state of being supreme.

  2. supreme authority or power.


supremacy British  
/ sʊˈprɛməsɪ, sjʊ- /

noun

  1. supreme power; authority

  2. the quality or condition of being supreme

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of supremacy

First recorded in 1540–50; supreme + -acy

Explanation

Supremacy is the state of having the ultimate authority. A ruling king has supremacy over his kingdom. When one group dominates another, it has supremacy. One country's army might have military supremacy over another, or your favorite baseball team might gain supremacy in the third game of the World Series, meaning it has power over the other team in the series. Supremacy comes from the Latin word supremus, which means highest.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In their quest for global soccer supremacy, the World Cup’s superpowers are setting up shop in flyover country.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

And I think there is real danger in only ruling against him in cases that genuinely threaten judicial supremacy.

From Slate • Jun. 1, 2026

The key narrative in the men's game over the past two seasons has been the battle for supremacy between Sinner and Alcaraz, with the pair winning the past nine majors between them.

From BBC • May 23, 2026

He said that the Commerce Department’s investment marks a “bold step” to secure “U.S. supremacy and competitiveness through developing at-scale fabrication and device capabilities.”

From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026

I knew I should tighten my sad, limp ponytail and move on with my life, but the thing was, Sela’s hair supremacy was a new thing.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

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