above all

American  

[uh-buhv awl] / əˈbʌv ˈɔl /

idiom

1. most important of all; before everything else; chiefly.

   Above all, the little girl wanted a piano.

   He said that, above all else, he was a dad of two young children.

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above all More Idioms  

1. More than anything else, as in A winter hike calls for good equipment, but above all it requires careful planning. This phrase first appears in William Langland's Piers Ploughman (1377), in which the narrator exhorts readers to love the Lord God above all. Also see first and last.

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Etymology

Origin of above all

First recorded in 1350–1400

Example Sentences

The instinct goes even further, suggesting that what should be celebrated above all else is the idea of the lone hero, the one who covers themselves in the glory of gladiatorial combat.

From Slate • Jun. 16, 2026

Locals' grievances include the congestion caused by visitors in city centres, their environmental impact and, above all, the idea that they are exacerbating Spain's housing crisis.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026

Of course, I hoped above all that he would survive for his wife and kids.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

Kaden puts his service to his mother above all else in his life.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026

And above all, a prince should strive in all of his actions to achieve the reputation of a great man of outstanding intelligence.

From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli