Synonym Chooser

How is the word predominant different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of predominant are dominant, paramount, and preponderant. While all these words mean "superior to all others in influence or importance," predominant applies to something that exerts, often temporarily, the most marked influence.

a predominant emotion

When can dominant be used instead of predominant?

While in some cases nearly identical to predominant, dominant applies to something that is uppermost because ruling or controlling.

a dominant social class

When could paramount be used to replace predominant?

In some situations, the words paramount and predominant are roughly equivalent. However, paramount implies supremacy in importance, rank, or jurisdiction.

unemployment was the paramount issue in the campaign

In what contexts can preponderant take the place of predominant?

The words preponderant and predominant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, preponderant applies to an element or factor that outweighs all others in influence or effect.

preponderant evidence in her favor

Examples 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 predominant However, these high-capacity SSDs may provide some secondary storage, where the highest storage density in racks and somewhat lower operating power is a predominant requirement, rather than the price of storage. Thomas Coughlin, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024 Though Dyche has used Branthwaite extensively, and points to his work with young defenders such as Nathan Collins and Michael Keane, as well as Dwight McNeil, during his time at previous club Burnley, these rare success stories are exceptions to the rule rather than the predominant pattern. Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024 As of November 9, the predominant subvariant, KP.3.1.1 made up 39 percent of COVID-19 cases in U.S. wastewater over the previous two weeks, while the new XEC variant accounted for 20 percent, according to the CDC. Matt Robison, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024 The predominant cultural assumption was this was universally a good thing for everyone: time to bake bread, sing from the balcony, be your true self, avoid COVID-19 transmission and stay safe. Michele Weldon, Chicago Tribune, 18 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for predominant 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predominant
Adjective
  • Assad's fall came after his main backers, Russia, Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, were either distracted or weakened by other conflicts.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024
  • With this strategic push, Delta foresees its premium ticket revenue exceeding its main cabin by 2027 and says more than half of its current revenue comes from premium experiences.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Advertisement While Fox News is more dominant than ever in the ratings, its corporate parent, Fox Corp., also faces uncertainty.
    Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
  • When his family is murdered and child kidnapped, a Neanderthal goes on an epic rampage journey to save her from the new dominant species.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Haas has since died, and Lurie and his mother are among his primary heirs.
    Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Anthropic has established strategic partnerships, most notably with Amazon Web Services, which provides the primary cloud infrastructure for training its AI models.
    GuruFocus, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Despite being one of the industry’s foremost data analysts, Larissa Jensen is a storyteller at heart.
    James Manso, WWD, 13 Dec. 2024
  • The founder is one of India’s foremost fashion curators who brought Indian fashion together for 30 years.
    Shelby Wax, Vogue, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Texas has a championship-level defense and a feast-or-famine passing game led by starting quarterback Quinn Ewers that typically makes enough big plays.
    The Athletic College Football, The Athletic, 8 Dec. 2024
  • Vogue Beauty The biggest beauty stories, trends, and product recommendations.
    Veronica Cristino, Vogue, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • As technology continues to advance and costs decline, EGS has the potential to play a leading role in the global shift toward sustainable energy, providing solutions that meet both electricity and heating needs while combating climate change.
    Robert Rapier, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
  • His performance in The Inheritance also earned him a Tony Award in 2021 for best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play. 04 of 05 Ansu Kabia as the Huntsman Ansu Kabia plays the Huntsman, who is the Evil Queen's servant in the original film.
    Jordana Comiter, People.com, 5 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near predominant

Cite this Entry

“Predominant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predominant. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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