as in to cultivate
to change (a wild animal or plant) over time to make it more suited to life with or use by humans
Humans domesticated wolves to produce man's best friend.
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of domesticate
Researchers currently believe dogs were first domesticated from grey wolves toward the end of the last Ice Age, and were the first animals to enter into a domestic relationship with humans, the study states.
—
Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
Dogs were domesticated from grey wolves between 32,000 and 11,000 years ago, towards the end of the most recent ice age.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 25 Mar. 2026
Appreciative of these qualities, humans have domesticated Cucumis sativus and traded it throughout the world, with the fruit’s coolness becoming another, if metaphorical, tendril.
—Andrés Muedano, JSTOR Daily, 25 Mar. 2026
That means that winemakers across what is now France must have switched from domesticating wild grapes to propagating them directly—that is, cloning grapevines by taking cuttings of the plants to start new groves.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for domesticate
Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
Dogs were domesticated from grey wolves between 32,000 and 11,000 years ago, towards the end of the most recent ice age.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 25 Mar. 2026
Appreciative of these qualities, humans have domesticated Cucumis sativus and traded it throughout the world, with the fruit’s coolness becoming another, if metaphorical, tendril.
—Andrés Muedano, JSTOR Daily, 25 Mar. 2026
That means that winemakers across what is now France must have switched from domesticating wild grapes to propagating them directly—that is, cloning grapevines by taking cuttings of the plants to start new groves.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for domesticate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for domesticate
Verb
-
Garelick and Frahm taught the initial American High course, helped shepherd the first draft, and continue to cultivate a strong working relationship between Syracuse University and American High.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
7 May 2026
-
Ayoud cultivated a deep appreciation of fashion history and the luxury industry early in life.—
Footwear News,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
His remarks imply a diminished role for the multinational peacekeepers, which the United Nations Security Council had said would be charged with tasks like training a new police force and disarming militant groups.—
Matt Bradley,
NBC news,
12 May 2026
-
This merchant-first approach allows businesses to train AI agents on their specific product lines, ensuring the brand’s unique voice and aesthetic remain central to the shopping experience.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
All throughout the Universe, different types of signals propagate.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
7 May 2026
-
The key is to purchase plants that proliferate easily and to repot offshoots or propagate them in water before planting in a new pot.—
Wendy Rose Gould,
Martha Stewart,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Foothill’s boys used their relays to place second in the team competition.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
9 May 2026
-
Vonblum says only four stops in the city qualify — and that all other stops near bus lanes are ineligible because the lanes can also be used by turning cars and by bicycles.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
To avoid any additional traffic while inside the park, folks are encouraged to utilize Yosemite's free Valley Shuttle system, which has buses that arrive every 12 to 22 minutes.—
Noe Padilla,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
The shift to an all-wheel park requires no construction modifications and would utilize separate sessions to maintain safety and maximize facility activity, city officials said.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Despite the pitching hiccups Friday night, the offense continued to produce.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
This story was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education, and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.—
Stacker,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Prevent mosquitos from breeding by eliminating standing water, the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District said.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
11 May 2026
-
Porter has slammed lawmakers, including Democrats, for stock trading and funneling earmark funding to their home districts, arguing that such practices breed corruption and mistrust in Congress.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Lamborghini says the front and rear subframes are entirely new, while the carbon-fiber monocoque has been adapted specifically for the open-top configuration.—
James Morris,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
-
The first book was adapted for the big screen by Lim and her team, and became a smash hit, earning over $239 million worldwide.—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Domesticate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/domesticate. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
