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• paramount
  paramount

  adjective

  chief in importance or impact; supreme; preeminent.
• Paramount
  Paramount

  noun

  a city in SW California, near Los Angeles.

paramount

¹ American  

[par-uh-mount] / ˈpær əˌmaʊnt /

adjective

1. chief in importance or impact; supreme; preeminent.

   a point of paramount significance.

   Antonyms:

   unimportant

2. above others in rank or authority; superior in power or jurisdiction.

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noun

1. a supreme ruler; overlord.

Paramount ² American  

[par-uh-mount] / ˈpær əˌmaʊnt /

noun

1. a city in SW California, near Los Angeles.

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paramount British  

/ ˈpærəˌmaʊnt /

adjective

1. of the greatest importance or significance; pre-eminent

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noun

1. rare a supreme ruler

Synonym Usage

See dominant.

Other Word Forms

• paramountcy
  noun
• superparamount
  adjective
• paramountly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of paramount

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)

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

paramount Paramount

A recent survey by Susquehanna Polling and Research found that 77 percent of likely voters believe that "conserving national forests and other roadless lands for current and future generations" is paramount.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

With hiring managers prioritizing in-person work and AI able to tackle routine tasks that traditionally monopolized entry-level workers’ time, one could argue being agreeable is paramount.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

Food journalism allowed me to combine my love of writing and editing with my interest in food and its paramount importance in our lives.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

An Etsy spokesperson said it had removed all the listings flagged by Which?, adding: "Keeping our users safe is paramount."

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

Woolf was in a career in which staying light was of paramount importance.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

In interviews, she has been unsparing about what she sees as coming next in American media consolidation, warning that a CNN controlled by David Ellison — who purchased Paramount and CBS — would be “tragic.”

From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026

Ellison is looking to finalize his massive Hollywood deal — folding CNN, HBO, TBS, Food Network and the Warner Bros. film and television studios under Paramount — as quickly as possible.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

Paramount has argued that projects from Amazon MGM, Netflix and Apple should be included because they compete with the traditional companies for talent and audiences.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

That commitment, Paramount said, would lead to “more jobs over time, and ultimately, a stronger, more durable entertainment industry for generations to come.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

Joe, who had just seen a Paramount movie short featuring a cartoon character new to the silver screen, Popeye the Sailor, wrote in his scrapbook that night, “I yam disgusted.”

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

Related Words

• outstanding
• predominant
• preeminent