dominate

verb

dom·​i·​nate ˈdä-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce dominate (audio)
dominated; dominating
Synonyms of dominatenext

transitive verb

1
: rule, control
an empire that dominated the world
2
: to exert the supreme determining or guiding influence on
the ambition that has dominated his life
3
: to overlook from a superior elevation or command because of superior height or position
a hill that dominates the town
4
a
: to be predominant in
sugar maples dominate the forest
b
: to have a commanding or preeminent place or position in
name brands dominate the market

intransitive verb

1
: to have or exert mastery, control, or preeminence
his desire to dominate
a dominating factor in industrial growth
2
: to occupy a more elevated or superior position
dominative
ˈdä-mə-ˌnā-tiv How to pronounce dominate (audio)
adjective
dominator
ˈdä-mə-ˌnā-tər How to pronounce dominate (audio)
noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of dominate in a Sentence

One company has dominated the market for years. He dominated her life for many years. His work dominated the art scene last year. Our team dominated throughout the game. Our team dominated play throughout the game.
Recent Examples on the Web Why that has Tesla and other carmakers worried April 19, 2024 The country’s car market has long been dominated by the Japanese brands Toyota, Daihatsu and Honda. —Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2024 Instead, they will be dominated by increasingly autonomous weapons systems and powerful algorithms. —Mark A. Milley, Foreign Affairs, 5 Aug. 2024 Emphasis on Beshear absence, GOP dominates political speaking Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at @hpinski@courier-journal.com or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski. —Hannah Pinski, The Courier-Journal, 4 Aug. 2024 She was inspired by Nadia Comaneci Prior to Retton's game-changing performance, Olympic gymnastics was largely dominated by Eastern European countries, with Romania's Nadia Comaneci being a standout star. —Emily Blackwood, Peoplemag, 3 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dominate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dominate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin dominatus, past participle of dominari, from dominus master; akin to Latin domus house — more at dome

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dominate was in 1611

Dictionary Entries Near dominate

dominant wavelength

dominate

dominatingly

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Dominate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dominate. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.

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Kids Definition

dominate

verb
dom·​i·​nate ˈdäm-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce dominate (audio)
dominated; dominating
1
: to have a commanding position or controlling power over
2
: to seem to command by rising high above
a volcano dominates the island
domination
ˌdäm-ə-ˈnā-shən
noun
dominative
ˈdäm-ə-ˌnāt-iv How to pronounce dominate (audio)
adjective
dominator
-ˌnāt-ər How to pronounce dominate (audio)
noun
Etymology

derived from Latin dominari "to rule, govern, control," from dominus "master, owner" — related to condominium, dame, domain, dominion, don entry 2

More from Merriam-Webster on dominate

Nglish: Translation of dominate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of dominate for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dominate

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