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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-maunt] / 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-maunt] / 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

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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)

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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

Investigations into absolutely everything that has been corroded and broken in the courts and the Justice Department will be of paramount importance.

From Slate ● Nov. 5, 2026

For director Nitesh Tiwari, evoking the ancient poem's messaging was paramount.

From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026

Patrick Baghdaserians, an attorney for Martinez, told The Times last week the welfare and safety of Berry and Martinez’s child remains paramount.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

"The safety of journalists is paramount," they added.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

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

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

Abdy exited her role as co-chair and chief executive officer of Warner Bros. after the studio was acquired by Paramount Skydance in a controversial merger that closed last month.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

It was the show's largest Sunday audience since 2023, according to the statement from Paramount ANZ.

From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026

Ellison already instituted a five-day-a-week in-office policy at Paramount, shortly after his Skydance acquired the historic studio last year.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026

The billionaire put up shares in Tesla, SpaceX and Paramount Skydance this year to borrow more from banks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 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

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Related Words

• outstanding
• predominant
• preeminent

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