supermajority

noun

su·​per·​ma·​jor·​i·​ty ˈsü-pər-mə-ˌjȯr-ə-tē 

-ˌjär-

plural supermajorities

: a majority (such as two-thirds or three-fifths) that is greater than a simple majority

treaty ratification requires a supermajority

Furthermore, it is about even money that soon after Congress convenes in January it will … approve a constitutional amendment to require supermajorities (three-fifths) in both houses of Congress to approve deficit spending.

—George F. Will

The company, for instance, has a supermajority clause in its articles of incorporation; 80% of the shareholders must approve any sale or merger.

—Joshua Hyatt

Examples of supermajority in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Four seats allow Democrats to break the GOP supermajority for the first time in 12 years, the DNC highlights. —Isabella Murray, ABC News, 10 June 2024

In Kansas, Republicans failed to garner a two-thirds majority needed in the Legislature to overturn Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a ban on medical transition treatments for minors, despite holding a supermajority in both chambers. —Amy Harmon, New York Times, 7 June 2024

Can Michigan model work for Biden in NC? Flipping North Carolina in the presidential race, holding onto the governor’s mansion and breaking the Republican supermajority in the state legislature will take a lot of on-the-ground organizing, including going door-to-door, by Democrats, Whitmer said. —Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 4 June 2024

With these advantages, the BJP is campaigning to expand its control of the lower house of parliament from 303 seats to a supermajority of 400 out of a total 543 seats. —Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 6 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

supermajority

noun

su·​per·​ma·​jor·​i·​ty ˈsü-pər-mə-ˌjȯr-ə-tē 

: a large majority

a provision requiring a supermajority vote — say, 80 % of the common shares instead of the usual bare majority rule

—R. C. Clark