dominance

noun

dom·​i·​nance ˈdä-mə-nən(t)s How to pronounce dominance (audio)
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 4)
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

Example Sentences

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 Offensive dominance is something Northwestern has shown all season. Kat Cornetta, BostonGlobe.com, 27 May 2023 This time, a swish, the Lakers on their way to second-half dominance. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2023 But China’s dominance of the global solar industry has created a tricky calculus for the Biden administration, which wants to promote U.S. manufacturing of solar products but also ensure a plentiful supply of low-cost solar panels to reduce carbon emissions. Ivan Penn, New York Times, 12 May 2023 From 19-year-old Wyatt Johnston to 38-year-old Joe Pavelski chipping in two of Dallas’ first three goals, Roope Hintz continued his postseason dominance while Jason Robertson chipped in three assists. Joey Hayden, Dallas News, 12 May 2023 In this environment, just matching competitor’s product features might be enough to ensure Google maintains its market dominance. Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 11 May 2023 But breaking America’s currency dominance won’t be easy. Ananya Bhattacharya, Quartz, 5 May 2023 Felicia: What ideologies are fighting for dominance today? How To Save A Country, The New Republic, 4 May 2023 Preventing large tech firms from exploiting their market dominance and using collusion to stifle innovation and smaller competitors in the AI landscape. Benj Edwards, Ars Technica, 3 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dominance.' 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

see dominant entry 1

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dominance was in 1819

Dictionary Entries Near dominance

Cite this Entry

“Dominance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dominance. Accessed 5 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

dominance

noun
dom·​i·​nance ˈdäm-(ə-)nən(t)s How to pronounce dominance (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce dominance (audio)
: 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)

More from Merriam-Webster on dominance

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!