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.
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Recent Examples of domesticate
The same response occurred in wild and domesticated tomatoes.
—
Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Sep. 2025
Corn was domesticated in south central Mexico around 9,000 years ago and was an essential ingredient in Aztec civilization.
—Saveur Editors, Saveur, 4 Sep. 2025
But where chimps might merely poke over the ashes, our lineage at some point took the next step in promoting and even domesticating the flames — perhaps picking a smoldering stick from the edges of one grassland, and lighting the grassland in the next valley over.
—Peter Brannen, Big Think, 28 Aug. 2025
Because Tibetan antelopes can’t be domesticated, poachers often kill them, extract the fur, and leave the carcasses behind.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for domesticate
Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Sep. 2025
Corn was domesticated in south central Mexico around 9,000 years ago and was an essential ingredient in Aztec civilization.
—Saveur Editors, Saveur, 4 Sep. 2025
But where chimps might merely poke over the ashes, our lineage at some point took the next step in promoting and even domesticating the flames — perhaps picking a smoldering stick from the edges of one grassland, and lighting the grassland in the next valley over.
—Peter Brannen, Big Think, 28 Aug. 2025
Because Tibetan antelopes can’t be domesticated, poachers often kill them, extract the fur, and leave the carcasses behind.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for domesticate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for domesticate
Verb
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This philosophy has guided their marketing approach, cultivating a loyal following that appreciates their attention to detail and passion for excellence.—
Wyles Daniel,
AZCentral.com,
2 Oct. 2025
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Married Matt and Amber Barnett overcame a little bit of jealousy and a lot of credit card debt to cultivate a stable relationship.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Two years ago, the department decided to make the move to Clydesdales after training with other departments in Toronto, Canada, Dills said.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
3 Oct. 2025
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Professor Hao Li, a leading expert in video synthesis, told CNBC that most AI systems today are still trained on linguistic data like books and internet text.—
MacKenzie Sigalos,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The idea propagated by Saturday Night Live skits and sitcom one-liners that Lilith Fair was a misandrist showcase for joyless, hormonal angst was totally alien to accounts of what being there actually felt like.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
30 Sep. 2025
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Plants can be divided every four years to maintain plant health, reduce clump size, and propagate new plants.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Little kids will enjoy its pre-programmed songs and dances, while older kids can use a smart app to program new movement patterns and routines.—
Anja Webb,
Parents,
7 Oct. 2025
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Participants will learn the differences between dabbling and diving ducks, their unique characteristics and how to use eBird to find local waterfowl viewing hot spots.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Bitfury utilizes superior technology and practices strategic adaptation to keep ahead of its competitors.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
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After the loss of his father, a man attempts to utilize childhood nostalgia as a coping mechanism.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Meet Nashville's new crime-fighting Clydesdale Metro Nashville mounted patrol officer Michael Douglas squeezed a three-foot-long rubber chicken, producing an increasingly louder and closer screeching sound to try and provoke a 1,700-pound Clydesdale named Ross.—
Laura L. Davis,
Nashville Tennessean,
6 Oct. 2025
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Now the podcast era produces orders of magnitude more hours of political commentary than any human can consume.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The authors point to a slew of engineering projects gone wrong—from nuclear meltdowns to the adoption of leaded gasoline—to show how complex systems and profit-seeking can breed disaster.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
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These are the ideal climate conditions for midge to breed in the mud around water sources like stump holes and small puddles.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
Nashville Tennessean,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Fueled by technology, our language adapts to new slang trends more rapidly than ever.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
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Crafted to adapt to the unique demands of each story, the guide provides flexibility while upholding the highest standards of journalistic integrity.—
Nashville Tennessean,
Nashville Tennessean,
5 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Domesticate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/domesticate. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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