dominate

verb

dom·​i·​nate ˈdä-mə-ˌnāt 

dominated; dominating

transitive verb

1

: rule, control

an empire that dominated the world

2

: to exert the supreme determining or guiding influence on

ambition 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

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 

adjective

dominator

ˈdä-mə-ˌnā-tər 

noun

Synonyms of dominate

• subdue
• conquer
• subject
• defeat
• overcome

Examples of dominate in a Sentence

One company has dominated the market for years.

This work dominated the art scene last year.

Our team dominated play throughout the game.

Recent Examples on the Web

Its dormant volcano, known as the Quill, dominates the southern part of the island. — R. Grant Gilmore Iii, The Conversation, 30 June 2026

The siblings dominated the sport for decades and fans will once again flock to SW19 to see the two living legends in action. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 June 2026

Shohei Ohtani is dominating as a hitter and a pitcher, something virtually unprecedented over such a lengthy time frame. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026

Defying the restrictions placed on women of her era, Umm Kulthum first performed disguised as a boy before rising to dominate the stages of Cairo and captivate audiences across the globe. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 June 2026

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

Rhymes for dominate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

dominate

verb

dom·​i·​nate ˈdäm-ə-ˌnāt 

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 

adjective

dominator

-ˌnāt-ər 

noun

Etymology

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