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Synonyms

supremacy

American  
[suh-prem-uh-see, soo-] / səˈprɛm ə si, sʊ- /

noun

  1. the state of being supreme.

  2. supreme authority or power.


supremacy British  
/ sʊˈprɛməsɪ, sjʊ- /

noun

  1. supreme power; authority

  2. the quality or condition of being supreme

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of supremacy

First recorded in 1540–50; supreme + -acy

Explanation

Supremacy is the state of having the ultimate authority. A ruling king has supremacy over his kingdom. When one group dominates another, it has supremacy. One country's army might have military supremacy over another, or your favorite baseball team might gain supremacy in the third game of the World Series, meaning it has power over the other team in the series. Supremacy comes from the Latin word supremus, which means highest.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Craig Williams, who rode Vow And Declare to victory in 2019, will take the reins of joint-third favourite Buckaroo while Robbie Dolan, who won last year on rank outsider Knight's Choice, is on-board Royal Supremacy.

From Barron's • Nov. 3, 2025

Mr. Simms is the author of “Europe: The Struggle for Supremacy, From 1453 to the Present.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025

When he returned, he met the R&B singer Brent Faiyaz, who signed Richman to his ISO Supremacy label last year and took him on tour as an opening act.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 27, 2024

That’s Supremacy Clause 101: When a federal law conflicts with a state law, the federal law preempts the state law.

From Slate • Apr. 22, 2024

In truth, scanty as the Ante-nicene notices may be of the Papal Supremacy, they are both more numerous and more definite than the adducible testimonies in favour of the Real Presence.

From An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine by Newman, John Henry Cardinal