dominance

noun

dom·​i·​nance ˈdä-mə-nən(t)s 

ˈdäm-nən(t)s

1

: the fact or state of being dominant: such as

a

sociology : controlling, prevailing, or powerful position especially in a social hierarchy (see hierarchy sense 2)

male dominance

political dominance

companies competing for dominance in the market

dominance over their rivals

b

genetics : the property of one of a pair of alleles or traits that suppresses expression (see expression sense 1b(4)) of the other in the heterozygous condition

c

ecology : the influence or control over ecological communities exerted by a dominant (see dominant entry 2 sense 2b)

2

biology : functional (see functional sense 1b) asymmetry between a pair of bodily structures (such as the right and left hands)

right brain dominance

Synonyms of dominance

• domination
• supremacy
• dominion
• sovereignty

Examples of dominance in a Sentence

although Napoléon had achieved dominance over the European continent, Great Britain still ruled the waves

the professor's dominance in the field of ancient Greek history

Recent Examples on the Web

Donald’s dominance required the attention of multiple players on every snap, similar to Garrett — whose double-team rate on pass rush snaps was nearly 60 percent last season, per Pro Football Focus, the second highest of any defensive lineman. —Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 2 June 2026

That has put a significant gap in the standings between them and Ferrari; however, Monaco presents an opportunity for the Scuderia to break up Mercedes and championship leader Kimi Antonelli's run of dominance. —Matt Reigle, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026

Most Grand Slams are experiencing a flood of fans and record revenue overall, much of that helped by the emerging dominance of Sinner and Alcaraz, who could build their budding rivalry for another decade or more. —Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 1 June 2026

Some build through competitive dominance, constantly seeking an advantage over rivals. —Kim Lawton, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

see dominant entry 1

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing dominance

• apical dominance
• law of dominance

Rhymes for dominance

• prominence
• predominance

Kids Definition

dominance

noun

dom·​i·​nance ˈdäm-(ə-)nən(t)s 

: the fact or state of being dominant: as

a

: the dominant position of an individual in a series of social ranks or levels

b

: the property of one of a pair of alternate forms of a gene or character that prevents or masks expression of the other when both are present in the heterozygous condition

c

: the control or influence over the environment of an ecological community that a dominant has

d

: greater activity and usage of one of a pair of body parts (as the right hand compared to the left hand)

Medical Definition

dominance

noun

dom·​i·​nance ˈdäm(-ə)-nən(t)s 

: the fact or state of being dominant: as

a

: the relative position of an individual in a social hierarchy compare pecking order

b

: the property of one of a pair of alleles or traits that suppresses expression of the other in the heterozygous condition

c

: functional asymmetry between a pair of bodily structures (as the right and left hands)