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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After Netflix dropped out, Paramount secured a deal for Warner Bros.
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 said 17m people watched at least one minute of the event in those countries, including 15.3m in the US.
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
I’ve landed two more roles, both in upcoming films with Paramount Pictures.
From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day
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.
