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

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
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.
Known for his dominance on both ends of the floor, Diarra was named the Dikembe Mutombo Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in his BAL career. Sindiswa Mabunda, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025 Those two teams have won nine of the past 12 Grand Tour titles, and their spending matches their dominance. Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 8 July 2025 The Central Bank of Ireland Governor said dollar dominance will decline over the long-term, but for now Europe lacks a single fiscal capacity of a safe asset like Treasuries that would mirror the US system. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 5 July 2025 For years, the United States has managed to secure the Middle East from hostile dominance, but containment policy there differed dramatically from that in Asia and Europe. James Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for dominance

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dominance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dominance. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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)

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