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 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

Synonyms

• ascendance
• ascendence
• ascendancy
• ascendency
• domination
• dominion
• hegemony
• imperium
• predominance
• predominancy
• preeminence
• reign
• sovereignty
• sovranty
• supremacy

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

Word History

Etymology

see dominant entry 1

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing dominance

• law of dominance
• apical dominance

• law of dominance
• apical dominance

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)