Definition of dominate
dominated
;dominating
transitive verb
2 : to exert the supreme determining or guiding influence on the ambition that has dominated his life
3 : to overlook from a superior elevation or command because of superior height or position a hill that dominates the town
4a : to be predominant in sugar maples dominate the forestb : to have a commanding or preeminent place or position in name brands dominate the market
intransitive verb
1 : to have or exert mastery, control, or preeminence his desire to dominate a dominating factor in industrial growth
2 : to occupy a more elevated or superior position
From the M-W Editors
Examples of dominate in a Sentence
One company has dominated the market for years.
He dominated her life for many years.
His work dominated the art scene last year.
Our team dominated throughout the game.
Our team dominated play throughout the game.
Recent Examples of dominate from the Web
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Cullerton said small voter turnouts allow special interest groups to dominate elections and don't allow for the best candidates to receive a fair chance.
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Democrats consistently dominate among non-white voters.
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Designed to carry 163 to 211 passengers, the MS-21-300 — like the C919 — is aimed at the heart of the single-aisle market, today dominated by the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737-800.
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Amazon shares hit $1,000 for the first time, marking a new milestone for a company wooing investors by dominating online commerce and cloud computing.
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Mitsotakis served as prime minister between 1990 and 1993, a brief spell during two decades dominated by his Socialist rivals.
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Another impressive double winner was Poway High’s Jarett Chinn, who first dominated the 1,600 at 4:14.91 before coming back to score a tough double by winning the 800 in 1:54.54.
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Larry Smith opened the comments with a plea to keep the golf course but mountain bike advocates dominated the discussion - not just in their number but also in their colorful biking jerseys.
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Each of Ms. Dyson’s three white-on-gray paintings is 6 feet wide by 8 feet tall and dominated by a subtle circular pattern applied with plastery strokes of a palette knife.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dominate'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of dominate
Latin dominatus, past participle of dominari, from dominus master; akin to Latin domus house — more at dome
First Known Use: 1611
DOMINATE Defined for English Language Learners
dominate
playDefinition of dominate for English Language Learners
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: to have control of or power over (someone or something)
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: to be the most important part of (something)
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: to be much more powerful or successful than others in a game, competition, etc.
DOMINATE Defined for Kids
dominate
playDefinition of dominate for Students
dominated
;dominating
: to have a commanding position or controlling power over The mountain dominates the landscape.
Word Root of dominate
The Latin word dominus, meaning “master,” gives us the root domin. Words from the Latin dominus have something to do with being another's master. To dominate is to have power and control over as if being someone's master. A domain, or land under the control of a government, is a land with a particular master or ruler. Dominion is controlling power, similar to the power of a master over others.
Learn More about dominate
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See words that rhyme with dominate Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for dominate Spanish Central: Translation of dominate Nglish: Translation of dominate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of dominate for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dominate
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