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

Electric Avenue has hundreds of songs in its repertoire, demonstrating the dominance of MTV on pop music in the channel’s heyday. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026

During the first half of the 1980s, few pitchers matched his combination of durability and dominance. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026

The greatest player of all time notched 230 career regular-season points against the Flames and asserted Edmonton’s provincial dominance in the 1980s. — Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 25 July 2026

The platform’s current dominance marks its first time leading both genres since 2017. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 24 July 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)