chief in importance or impact; supreme; preeminent.
a point of paramount significance.
above others in rank or authority; superior in power or jurisdiction.
See dominant.
First recorded in 1525–35; from Anglo-French paramont “above,” from par per- + amont “upward, above” (from Latin ad montem “to the mountain”; see ad-, mount 2)
To the President, protecting our nation's security is of paramount importance — it's at the very top of his to-do list. Paramount goes way beyond "important." It's absolutely critical. Something that is of paramount importance has a great urgency to it. Getting your oil changed is important, but making sure your car's brakes are working before you drive down a steep, icy slope is absolutely paramount.
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Behind the scenes, the younger Ellison was growing frustrated as he awaited regulatory approval for the merger, and Paramount negotiated a high-stakes settlement with Trump.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 24, 2026
Paramount reportedly refused to air an advertisement from the Freedom of the Press Foundation critical of its leadership and merger, citing a “conflict of interest.”
From Salon • Jun. 21, 2026
Paramount suggested the UFC would release further global figures for the White House event.
From BBC • Jun. 20, 2026
He reads American Cinematographer; he takes the Paramount studio tour, then takes it again.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026
By 1955, Paramount would be desperate to exit the field; Ernest, feeling duty-bound to help his financial partner reduce its exposure to losses, went on the road to help Paramount find a buyer.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
