NUMBER ONE Synonyms: 208 Similar and Opposite Words

number one

adjective

variants also No. 1

Definition of number one

as in main

coming before all others in importance considers international terrorism to be the number one threat to national security

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in excellent

of the very best kind the company's chocolate is rated as number one by serious chocoholics

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of number one Talked about number one in the country a year ago and some of our championships. — Tom Green | [email protected], al, 15 Mar. 2023 And North Carolina, last year's runner up and this year's preseason number one, missed out entirely. — Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2023 Depositors and workers in the companies whose deposits are in that bank need to be job number one. — CBS News, 12 Mar. 2023 The number one priority in those situations is the health of the player. — Dalton Ross, EW.com, 2 Mar. 2023 See All Example Sentences for number one

Recent Examples of Synonyms for number one

Adjective

For the first time in almost a month, a large tanker last week began loading crude at the western terminal of Iran’s main export hub Kharg Island, Windward said.

— Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
The team behind the project, presented during the second edition of Open Doors with a focus on films from Africa, was one of the two main winners of the Open Doors Grant.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of main

Adjective

That becomes particularly important when organizations rely on pop-up conversations and informal check-ins as their primary means of staying aligned.

— Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
The vast majority of girls are enrolled in primary education, at a rate higher than for boys.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of primary

Adjective

As long as the predominant globe-spanning Navy kept the seas free for everyone, there was no reason to be affiliated with any state.

— Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
The Odyssey is a story set in the Bronze Age, written in the Iron Age, measured by which metal was the predominant metal that went into weapons of war and other kinds of tools.

— David Frum, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026

Definition of predominant

Adjective

Such a contrast to the wonderful Bootham Crescent, York’s home until 2020 and within stumbling distance of not only the famous Minster but all the city’s many other attractions.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
Stepping into the shoes of Steve McQueen is no easy feat, but Brosnan does so with style as Thomas Crown, a billionaire art thief who falls for the insurance investigator chasing him, played by the wonderful Rene Russo.

— Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of wonderful

Adjective

Jeff Nichols is not only one of cinema’s foremost chroniclers of the American South, but is doing his damnedest to revitalize the film scene in his hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas.

— Marlow Stern, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
Similarly, the world’s foremost perfumeries haven’t collaborated with elite motorcar brands.

— Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of foremost

Adjective

Lucasfilm hasn’t had a terrific year with its first film in theaters since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker.

— Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Chisholm was shaken up after trying to field Dominic Canzone's infield single in the ninth, but the second baseman remained in the game and followed with a terrific defensive play.

— CBS New York Team, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of terrific

Browse Nearby Words

numberless

number one

numbers

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Number one.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/number%20one. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of number one

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

balmy

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes