dominate

verb

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

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 adjective
dominator noun

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
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.
The Yankees dominated Saturday against the Houston Astros, winning 9-3. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025 Honestly, Nevermind dominated in 2022 with 204,000 units. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025 Sunday spotlight Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency have been dominating the headlines in the first few weeks of President Donald Trump’s new administration — at times overshadowing the president himself. Andrew Torgan, CNN, 2 Mar. 2025 In a year dominated by major studio blockbusters, one independent production company has emerged as a force to be reckoned with at the Academy Awards. Clayton Davis, Variety, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dominate

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

Cite this Entry

“Dominate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dominate. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.

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 adjective
dominator 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

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