dominate
verb
dom·i·nate
ˈdä-mə-ˌnāt 
dominated; dominating
2
: to exert the supreme determining or guiding influence on
ambition 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
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
Mike Macdonald’s predictive powers play a pivotal role in Seattle’s ability not only to win but also to dominate its opponents.
—
Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2025
Earlier this year, Emilia Pérez dominated the 2025 Golden Globes ceremony, racking up four wins — including Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy, while star Zoe Saldaña won Best Supporting Actress ahead of winning in the same category at the Oscars.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Dec. 2025
The firm is among a handful that are at the core of Beijing’s ambitions of weaning itself off American hardware, and particularly cutting-edge chips, the design and manufacture of which are dominated by companies based in the US and allied nations.
—semafor.com, 8 Dec. 2025
After cleaning up at the Emmys earlier this year, Adolescence dominated the Limited Series categories at the Golden Globes, picking up five nominations.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 8 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dominate
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Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2025
Earlier this year, Emilia Pérez dominated the 2025 Golden Globes ceremony, racking up four wins — including Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy, while star Zoe Saldaña won Best Supporting Actress ahead of winning in the same category at the Oscars.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Dec. 2025
The firm is among a handful that are at the core of Beijing’s ambitions of weaning itself off American hardware, and particularly cutting-edge chips, the design and manufacture of which are dominated by companies based in the US and allied nations.
—semafor.com, 8 Dec. 2025
After cleaning up at the Emmys earlier this year, Adolescence dominated the Limited Series categories at the Golden Globes, picking up five nominations.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 8 Dec. 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 9 Dec. 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
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