superpower

American  

[soo-per-pou-er] / ˈsu pərˌpaʊ ər /

noun

1. an extremely powerful nation, especially one capable of influencing international events and the acts and policies of less powerful nations.

2. power pow power greater in scope or magnitude than that which is considered natural or has previously existed.

3. power, pow, power, especially mechanical or electric power, pow, power, on an extremely large scale secured by the linking together of a number of separate power pow power systems, with a view to more efficient and economical generation and distribution.

---

superpower British  

/ ˈsuːpəˌpaʊə /

noun

1. an extremely powerful state, such as the US

2. extremely high power, esp electrical or mechanical

---

Other Word Forms

• superpowered adjective

Etymology

Origin of superpower

First recorded in 1920–25; super- + power

Example Sentences

He has insisted the UK will not be forced to "choose between" China and the US, amid rising trade tensions between the two superpowers in recent years.

From BBC

The two superpowers reached a trade truce in October.

From The Wall Street Journal

But Robbins said the UK was also making progress in the field and had "pretty good odds" of becoming an AI superpower itself.

From BBC

She primarily writes and produces pieces about geopolitical issues, from superpower showdowns and military conflicts to supply chain snarls and natural resource struggles.

From The Wall Street Journal

At the time a Spanish-led consortium had just begun work on a high-speed link across the Saudi Arabian desert, confirming the country's status as a rail superpower.

From BBC