variants
also ascendency
as in dominance
controlling power or influence over others
a book chronicling the ascendancy of fascism in Europe after World War I
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ascendancy
This spring, Netflix has Japanese rights to all 47 games of the World Baseball Classic in Tokyo, which should be massive in that country, given the international ascendancy of stars such as Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, both key cogs in the Los Angeles Dodgers two-time World Series winners.
—
David Bloom, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
There have been some brief historical exceptions to that state of affairs; the ascendancy of higher education in the years after World War II gave writers a home in the academy that was largely nonexistent before.
—Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
Alongside Abela and the now mononymic Myha’la were Harry Lawtey, David Jonsson and Nabhaan Rizwan (all now names very much in the ascendancy — and in the case of Jonsson, a BAFTA rising star winner).
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 5 Jan. 2026
Most of the reasons for the right’s ascendancy stem not from factors abroad but from changing realities within Latin America.
—Brian Winter, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ascendancy
David Bloom, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
There have been some brief historical exceptions to that state of affairs; the ascendancy of higher education in the years after World War II gave writers a home in the academy that was largely nonexistent before.
—Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
Alongside Abela and the now mononymic Myha’la were Harry Lawtey, David Jonsson and Nabhaan Rizwan (all now names very much in the ascendancy — and in the case of Jonsson, a BAFTA rising star winner).
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 5 Jan. 2026
Most of the reasons for the right’s ascendancy stem not from factors abroad but from changing realities within Latin America.
—Brian Winter, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ascendancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ascendancy
Noun
-
Lor’s diving dominance Champlin Park freshman Pengxu Lor crushed the competition in the 1-meter diving finals.—
Andrew Cornelius,
Twin Cities,
1 Mar. 2026
-
That dominance seems like forever ago as the tables have turned the last two seasons; TCU notched its fifth straight victory over the Bears Sunday.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The main takeaway from the game against the Johnnies was the domination by Reed, who is proving to be the team’s X-factor down the stretch.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
2 Mar. 2026
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Applying decolonial frameworks risks making the visibility of artists and artworks contingent on their colonization, measuring all cultural production against the fact of imperial domination.—
Anel Rakhimzhanova,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Although Spain claimed dominion over most of the West and Southwest, the Spanish viceroyalty of New Spain had concentrated its resources in what is now southern Arizona, New Mexico and what was once called Alta California in the 1770s.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The driver is dominion, not religion.—
Josef Joffe,
The Atlantic,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Justice Department contends both the mask ban and the ID law illegally interfere with the operation of the federal government, a violation of the Constitution’s supremacy clause, while California likens them to highway speed limits, which apply to everyone equally.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
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In a constitutional system governed by judicial supremacy, such a decision should have marked the end of the matter.—
Mark Pirie,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Russia and China have criticized the strikes as a violation of international law and Iran’s sovereignty and called for a return to dialogue, but have not offered Tehran any material support.—
Jasmine Green,
NBC news,
5 Mar. 2026
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Mullin has also leaned into his ancestry as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and supported positions important to tribal citizens, such as advocating for tribal sovereignty.—
Sean Murphy,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
One of the Middle East’s most powerful men, Khamenei dominated Iran during a reign defined by resistance and resilience — standing firm against decades of Western and Israeli pressure aimed at forcing the Islamic Republic to bend to their will.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
1 Mar. 2026
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Liston fought just one round more, calling a halt to the bout and his reign as champion, claiming a left shoulder injury suffered earlier in the fight.—
John Nogowski,
Hartford Courant,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ascendancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ascendancy. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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