preeminent
Americanadjective
Usage
What does preeminent mean? Preeminent means extremely distinguished, outstanding, or superior to all (or the majority of) others.The word eminent means high in station, rank, or reputation. Someone who is considered eminent is usually both well-known and well-respected, especially within a particular field. Preeminent means extremely eminent—famed and respected above all or most.Eminent is often applied to scholars who are viewed as experts in their field, with preeminent being used to describe the most distinguished or respected ones—or perhaps one.The state of being preeminent is preeminence.Preeminent is sometimes spelled with a hyphen (pre-eminent), perhaps to make it easier to read.Example: He is the preeminent professor of this topic and his expertise is world-renowned.
Related Words
See dominant.
Other Word Forms
- preeminently adverb
Etymology
Origin of preeminent
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin praeēminent- (stem of praeēminēns ), present participle of praeēminēre to project forward, be prominent. See pre-, eminent
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.
Director Paul Feig has proved himself to be the preeminent purveyor of the finest high-camp trash one can find at the movie theater these days — and that’s a compliment.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2025
Byron Wien, who passed away in 2023, was one of Wall Street’s preeminent strategists, in a career mostly at Morgan Stanley, known for his annual “10 surprises” report.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 5, 2025
Another pulsating contest between the preeminent pair on the men's tour - this time with the season-ending ATP Finals trophy at stake - was a fitting conclusion.
From BBC • Nov. 16, 2025
Pennsylvania’s status as the preeminent swing state is also why election watchers around the country had been eagerly anticipating Tuesday’s result—looking to it as a bellwether for bigger contests to follow.
From Slate • Nov. 4, 2025
Many of them already knew of Carey from his role as field secretary of the nation’s oldest and preeminent direct-action civil rights group: the Congress of Racial Equality, or CORE.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
