predominant

adjective

pre·dom·i·nant | \ pri-ˈdä-mə-nənt

, -ˈdäm-nənt\

Definition of predominant

1 : having superior strength, influence, or authority : prevailing

2 : being most frequent or common

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Predominant vs. Predominate Example Sentences Learn More about predominant

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Choose the Right Synonym for predominant

dominant, predominant, paramount, preponderant mean superior to all others in influence or importance. dominant applies to something that is uppermost because ruling or controlling. a dominant social class predominant applies to something that exerts, often temporarily, the most marked influence. a predominant emotion paramount implies supremacy in importance, rank, or jurisdiction. unemployment was the paramount issue in the campaign preponderant applies to an element or factor that outweighs all others in influence or effect. preponderant evidence in her favor

Predominant vs. Predominate

Predominant and predominate are synonymous adjectives. Predominant is the older and much more common form. A number of handbooks and commentators hold predominate to be a mistake—a few insisting that the word is only a verb. But they are wrong. As an adjective predominate is somewhat more likely to turn up in technical writing than in general writing. The adverbs predominantly and predominately are a more even match in frequency than their base adjectives are, although predominantly is still significantly more common than predominately.

Examples of predominant in a Sentence

Religion is the predominant theme of the play. She is predominant among new writers.

Recent Examples on the Web

Although the predominant flu virus changes from year to year — or even within the course of a single season — the CDC works with pharmaceutical companies on predicting those strains as best as possible. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "No, The Flu Shot Won't Give You the Flu — But Here’s Why You Might Feel Sick Afterwards," 19 Oct. 2018 The second map The second map takes a look at the predominant form of renewable energy in each state in 2007 and in 2017. — Megan Geuss, Ars Technica, "Four maps show how electricity generation has changed in the US," 23 Sep. 2018 According to Ayurveda, every individual is born with one predominant dosha due to their psychological and physiological characteristics, which are considered inextricably linked. — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, "From CBD to Sex-Positivity, the 8 Biggest Wellness Trends of 2018," 10 Dec. 2018 In 2016, another panel tossed out two majority black congressional districts initially drawn in 2011, saying there was no justification for using race as the predominant factor in forming them. — Bill Mears, Fox News, "Federal court again orders North Carolina congressional districts redrawn," 27 Aug. 2018 This is the predominant difference between keto and traditional lower-carb diets like Atkins. — Jaclyn London, Ms, Rd, Cdn, Good Housekeeping, "9 Keto Diet Dangers Nutritionists Want You to Know About," 2 Jan. 2019 Fitness data, workout, and training plans are the predominant focal points. — Valentina Palladino, Ars Technica, "Huawei Watch GT review: When hardware and software don’t mesh," 16 Dec. 2018 Vying with nostalgia as the predominant fashion trend of the year is anything—or anyone—royal. — Steff Yotka, Vogue, "Nostalgia Is Officially the Biggest Fashion Trend of 2018," 12 Dec. 2018 The predominant limestone and sandstone walls in Mammoth Cave tend to reflect sound in aesthetically pleasing ways. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Cave acoustics can help sculpt more realistic sounds in digital space," 14 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'predominant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.