as in mutualistic
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Recent Examples of commensal
This represents a prey pathway in the domestication process in addition to a commensal one.
—
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 June 2025
This process called a commensal pathway in animal domestication occurs when the animal is attracted to human settlements, instead of humans actively trying to recruit the animals.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 June 2025
According to some biologists, this might show that these birds are on their way to becoming commensal with humans—benefiting from living closely alongside them—like pigeons have in urban areas.
—Jorge Garay, Wired News, 29 May 2025
Dreamtime by Simon Theuma This small, commensal shrimp almost appears to be swimming over a tapestry, but in reality, the technicolor backdrop is the body of a mosaic sea star.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Jan. 2024
Science defines the rat’s relationship to humans as commensal: an association between two species in which one benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed.
—WIRED, 7 Oct. 2023
In fact, it’s become clear that many of these commensal bacteria use the glycans studding mucin molecules as a primary source of energy.
—Diana Kwon, Discover Magazine, 9 July 2019
In commensal domestication, however, humans unintentionally create an environment that attracts the animal.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2016
These samples serve as powerful investigative tools in our pursuit to understand how certain commensal microbes can cause or serve as diagnostic readouts.
—Anthony Martin, Discover Magazine, 26 Apr. 2016
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 June 2025
This process called a commensal pathway in animal domestication occurs when the animal is attracted to human settlements, instead of humans actively trying to recruit the animals.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 June 2025
According to some biologists, this might show that these birds are on their way to becoming commensal with humans—benefiting from living closely alongside them—like pigeons have in urban areas.
—Jorge Garay, Wired News, 29 May 2025
Dreamtime by Simon Theuma This small, commensal shrimp almost appears to be swimming over a tapestry, but in reality, the technicolor backdrop is the body of a mosaic sea star.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Jan. 2024
Science defines the rat’s relationship to humans as commensal: an association between two species in which one benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed.
—WIRED, 7 Oct. 2023
In fact, it’s become clear that many of these commensal bacteria use the glycans studding mucin molecules as a primary source of energy.
—Diana Kwon, Discover Magazine, 9 July 2019
In commensal domestication, however, humans unintentionally create an environment that attracts the animal.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2016
These samples serve as powerful investigative tools in our pursuit to understand how certain commensal microbes can cause or serve as diagnostic readouts.
—Anthony Martin, Discover Magazine, 26 Apr. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commensal
Adjective
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Durrett says gaming regulators and operators who are not willing to at least ask questions about how the two industries can be more symbiotic are pushing aside the fact that in America today more people consume cannabis daily than alcohol.—
Will Yakowicz,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
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To further the symbiotic relationship between exercise and sleep, consider exercising outdoors rather than at the gym.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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With funding dependent on how many pupils attend, the school’s finances were pressured.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
25 June 2025
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Spouses and dependent children of service members enrolled in SGLI.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Commensal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commensal. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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