Superman
noun
A man with extraordinary strength or powers.
In the weightlifting competition, he was like a superman, lifting more than anyone else.
Often appears as...
- like a superman
- the comic book superman
noun
A popular comic book character with superhuman powers.
Superman is a well-known character from DC Comics.
Often appears as...
- superman comics
- superman movies
noun
An ideal superior man of the future, as outlined by Friedrich Nietzsche.
Nietzsche's concept of the superman was a man who has transcended the moral limits imposed by society.
Often appears as...
- nietzsche's superman
- ubermensch or superman
Usage tips
Academic
noun
A man with extraordinary strength or powers.
In the weightlifting competition, he was like a superman, lifting more than anyone else.
Often appears as...
- like a superman
- the comic book superman
noun
A popular comic book character with superhuman powers.
Superman is a well-known character from DC Comics.
Often appears as...
- superman comics
- superman movies
noun
An ideal superior man of the future, as outlined by Friedrich Nietzsche.
Nietzsche's concept of the superman was a man who has transcended the moral limits imposed by society.
Often appears as...
- nietzsche's superman
- ubermensch or superman
Usage tips
Academic
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Figurative Use
Describes someone with exceptional abilities, not necessarily literal strength or powers.
After he fixed the server issues alone, his colleagues called him a superman.
Pro Tip 2/3Exaggerated Compliment
Used to praise someone's extraordinary performance or achievements.
Her dad can fix anything; to her, he's a superman.
Pro Tip 3/3Hyperbolic Language
The term superman is often used to exaggerate someone’s capability for effect.
He managed the workload of three people; he's a real superman!
Compare with
avengerchampioncrusaderdefenderheroprotectorsavioursuperhero
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Video examples
A love letter to realism...
And the internet became this portal to a magical other world. I emailed scientists, and they broke through paywalls and sent me their medical journal and science journal articles directly. I read everything that "Superman" actor Christopher Reeve had achieved, after a fall from a horse
Video examples
Beware online "filter...
that a lot of us probably have noticed, which is there are some movies that just sort of zip right up and out to our houses. They enter the queue, they just zip right out. So "Iron Man" zips right out, and "Waiting for Superman" can wait for a really long time.
Video examples
Robert Full: Learning...
You know, cats falling. Cats do this. They twist their bodies. But geckos do it better. And they do it with their tail. So they do it with this active tail as they swing around. And then they always land in the sort of superman skydiving posture.
Video examples
Hubble Trouble PIPE...
spacesuits and zero gravity isn't easy but there are some upsides we were moving around pieces of equipment the size and the shape of the grand piano no way could I have moved that around on the earth you know you feel like Superman up there
Video examples
Comics belong in the...
And even worse, when stuff got hard in my class, they would use comic books as a way of distracting me. They would raise their hands and ask me questions like, "Mr. Yang, who do you think would win in a fight, Superman or the Hulk?"
Video examples
Sufferfest: 700 Miles of...
a little kid, well, named Cedar Wright-- Obviously hippie parents, right? and an amazing dresser later in life become the superman of rock climbing, that I am today? Well, actually, some people might disagree with that statement.
Video examples
Margaret Heffernan: Why...
ever implemented. There was a lot at stake then, and there's a lot at stake now, and we won't solve our problems if we expect it to be solved by a few supermen or superwomen. Now we need everybody,
Video examples
Discovering Homo Naledi:...
These are the easy parts you're looking at. This was an original thing we called "Superman Crawl" which you go through. I can get through that. So, that's not a particularly tight squeeze
Video examples
Martina Flor: The secret...
as if they were building blocks, in vivid colors. And if it were about superheroes instead? I would do them like this, inspired by -- in my opinion -- the greatest of Superman.
Video examples
Lemn Sissay: A child of...
Superman was a foster child; Cinderella was a foster child; Lisbeth Salander, the girl with the dragon tattoo, was fostered and institutionalized;
Video examples
A love letter to realism...
And the internet became this portal to a magical other world. I emailed scientists, and they broke through paywalls and sent me their medical journal and science journal articles directly. I read everything that "Superman" actor Christopher Reeve had achieved, after a fall from a horse
Video examples
Beware online "filter...
that a lot of us probably have noticed, which is there are some movies that just sort of zip right up and out to our houses. They enter the queue, they just zip right out. So "Iron Man" zips right out, and "Waiting for Superman" can wait for a really long time.
Video examples
Robert Full: Learning...
You know, cats falling. Cats do this. They twist their bodies. But geckos do it better. And they do it with their tail. So they do it with this active tail as they swing around. And then they always land in the sort of superman skydiving posture.
Video examples
Hubble Trouble PIPE...
spacesuits and zero gravity isn't easy but there are some upsides we were moving around pieces of equipment the size and the shape of the grand piano no way could I have moved that around on the earth you know you feel like Superman up there
Video examples
Comics belong in the...
And even worse, when stuff got hard in my class, they would use comic books as a way of distracting me. They would raise their hands and ask me questions like, "Mr. Yang, who do you think would win in a fight, Superman or the Hulk?"
Video examples
Sufferfest: 700 Miles of...
a little kid, well, named Cedar Wright-- Obviously hippie parents, right? and an amazing dresser later in life become the superman of rock climbing, that I am today? Well, actually, some people might disagree with that statement.
Video examples
Margaret Heffernan: Why...
ever implemented. There was a lot at stake then, and there's a lot at stake now, and we won't solve our problems if we expect it to be solved by a few supermen or superwomen. Now we need everybody,
Video examples
Discovering Homo Naledi:...
These are the easy parts you're looking at. This was an original thing we called "Superman Crawl" which you go through. I can get through that. So, that's not a particularly tight squeeze
Video examples
Martina Flor: The secret...
as if they were building blocks, in vivid colors. And if it were about superheroes instead? I would do them like this, inspired by -- in my opinion -- the greatest of Superman.
Video examples
Lemn Sissay: A child of...
Superman was a foster child; Cinderella was a foster child; Lisbeth Salander, the girl with the dragon tattoo, was fostered and institutionalized;
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Jim Lee
South Korean Artist
Superman is the hardest character to draw. There are a couple of things that make him difficult. He's got a very simple costume and doesn't have the long cape like Batman. He's not a character that is necessarily always in shadow, and he doesn't have a mask.
Quote examples
Gene Luen Yang
Chinese Writer
Superman is such an old character. He's an old character with this huge legacy behind him. And one of the awesome things about the fact that he's been around for these decades is that he's gone through these different phases.
Quote examples
T. E. Lawrence
British Soldier
I've been & am absurdly over-estimated. There are no supermen & I'm quite ordinary, & will say so whatever the artistic results. In that point I'm one of the few people who tell the truth about myself.
Quote examples
Vikramaditya Motwane
Indian Director
Graphic novels are all about fantasies. Superman and Batman started it. It's like a reaction to environment around you. You desire to do things in comic books or films what you can't do in real life.
Quote examples
Peter Drucker
American Businessman
No institution can possibly survive if it needs geniuses or supermen to manage it. It must be organized in such a way as to be able to get along under a leadership composed of average human beings.
Quote examples
David Bowie
English Musician
I'm not a prophet or a stone aged man, just a mortal with potential of a superman. I'm living on.
Quote examples
John Hurt
British Actor
Not everyone wants to see children's films, comics, and supermen.
Quote examples
Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.
Mexican Boxer
I never said I was a robot or a superman or a super being.
Quote examples
Ram Gopal Varma
Indian Director
I feel that Sarkar is a realistic superman in his life.
Quote examples
Muhammad Ali
American Boxer
Superman don't need no seat belt.
Quote examples
Jim Lee
South Korean Artist
Superman is the hardest character to draw. There are a couple of things that make him difficult. He's got a very simple costume and doesn't have the long cape like Batman. He's not a character that is necessarily always in shadow, and he doesn't have a mask.
Quote examples
Gene Luen Yang
Chinese Writer
Superman is such an old character. He's an old character with this huge legacy behind him. And one of the awesome things about the fact that he's been around for these decades is that he's gone through these different phases.
Quote examples
T. E. Lawrence
British Soldier
I've been & am absurdly over-estimated. There are no supermen & I'm quite ordinary, & will say so whatever the artistic results. In that point I'm one of the few people who tell the truth about myself.
Quote examples
Vikramaditya Motwane
Indian Director
Graphic novels are all about fantasies. Superman and Batman started it. It's like a reaction to environment around you. You desire to do things in comic books or films what you can't do in real life.
Quote examples
Peter Drucker
American Businessman
No institution can possibly survive if it needs geniuses or supermen to manage it. It must be organized in such a way as to be able to get along under a leadership composed of average human beings.
Quote examples
David Bowie
English Musician
I'm not a prophet or a stone aged man, just a mortal with potential of a superman. I'm living on.
Quote examples
John Hurt
British Actor
Not everyone wants to see children's films, comics, and supermen.
Quote examples
Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.
Mexican Boxer
I never said I was a robot or a superman or a super being.
Quote examples
Ram Gopal Varma
Indian Director
I feel that Sarkar is a realistic superman in his life.
Quote examples
Muhammad Ali
American Boxer
Superman don't need no seat belt.
Example 1 of 10
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