dominate
verb
dom·i·nate
ˈdä-mə-ˌnāt 
dominated; dominating
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
4
a
: to be predominant in
sugar maples dominate the forest
b
: to have a commanding or preeminent place or position in
name brands dominate the market
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
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 on the Web
Thong style sandals prevailed as footwear on the looks, and large oversized bags dominated the man bags.
—
Roxanne Robinson, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
The early adopter was Montgomery Ward, but Sears and Roebuck—the Amazon and Walmart of their day—would soon dominate the business.
—Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
The right hemisphere of the brain dominates in spatial attention, while the right amygdala is dominant for processing threats.
—ArsTechnica, 30 June 2025
Holm dominated from the start, setting the pace with her jab, controlling her opponent’s attack and using precise combinations.
—Jad El Reda, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dominate
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.
Roxanne Robinson, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
The early adopter was Montgomery Ward, but Sears and Roebuck—the Amazon and Walmart of their day—would soon dominate the business.
—Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
The right hemisphere of the brain dominates in spatial attention, while the right amygdala is dominant for processing threats.
—ArsTechnica, 30 June 2025
Holm dominated from the start, setting the pace with her jab, controlling her opponent’s attack and using precise combinations.
—Jad El Reda, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dominate
Cite this Entry
“Dominate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dominate. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dominate
verb
dom·i·nate
ˈdäm-ə-ˌnāt
dominated; dominating
1
: to have a commanding position or controlling power over
2
: to seem to command by rising high above
a volcano dominates the island
Etymology
derived from Latin dominari "to rule, govern, control," from dominus "master, owner" — related to condominium, dame, domain, dominion, don entry 2
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share