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
Zebras are difficult to domesticate due to their aggressive nature, lack of a family structure, and a strong ducking reflex that prevents easy capture.
—
Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 June 2025
Cat Hunting Instincts No matter how domesticated a cat is, their hunting instinct is still very strong, says Mikel Maria Delgado, an animal behavior psychologist and author of Play With Your Cat.
—Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 26 May 2025
Gerard Finley’s Antony makes a good partner to this rather domesticated Cleopatra.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 13 May 2025
Nine thousand years ago, humans began domesticating cats.
—Jia H. Jung, Mercury News, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for domesticate
Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 June 2025
Cat Hunting Instincts No matter how domesticated a cat is, their hunting instinct is still very strong, says Mikel Maria Delgado, an animal behavior psychologist and author of Play With Your Cat.
—Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 26 May 2025
Gerard Finley’s Antony makes a good partner to this rather domesticated Cleopatra.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 13 May 2025
Nine thousand years ago, humans began domesticating cats.
—Jia H. Jung, Mercury News, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for domesticate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for domesticate
Verb
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Within the iron gates, Friday night card parties and fish fries set to the soundtrack of jazz and R&B music cultivated a sense of community and resilience.—
Martie Bowser,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
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Lamont has cultivated an image as an affable aristocrat while spending about $60 million of his fortune on his four bids for statewide office.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
5 July 2025
Verb
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From 2004 to 2009, a team excavated the Neumark-Nord 2 site year-round, even training over 175 international students in the process.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
12 July 2025
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Fans turned out Friday to see the Golden State Warriors star, who won the tourney that year but skipped it in 2024 to train for the Olympics, who seemed likely to contend again amid a powerful lineup of current athletes, sports legends and other celebrities and entertainers.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
12 July 2025
Verb
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The researchers simulated the way airport and military radar signals from New York’s JFK and London’s Heathrow and Gatwick propagate through space.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
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The easiest way to propagate blanket flowers is to encourage plants to self-sow in the garden.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
3 July 2025
Verb
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The treatment had never been used on a species of raptor before, but Ammann took a leap and sent them an email.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
6 July 2025
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When his young son Walter (Roman Griffin Davis) and Walter’s cat upend the performance with their unruly behavior, Charles’s wife, Catherine (Thurman), persuades Charles not to punish the kid but instead to use the opportunity to teach him about Jesus (Isaac).—
Chris DeVille,
The Atlantic,
6 July 2025
Verb
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At least three medical helicopters were utilized to transport victims to local hospitals, per The Outlook and ABC 33-40.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
5 July 2025
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Instead of using a traditional app, the program utilizes a digital wallet system and focuses on frequency.—
Krysta Escobar,
CNBC,
5 July 2025
Verb
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The company specializes in producing large scale festivals, including ACL Fest, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo and NYC’s Governors Ball.—
Mars Salazar,
Austin American Statesman,
10 July 2025
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Farmers in Connecticut have navigated an uncertain federal funding landscape in recent months, sparking concerns that the costs for both producing and purchasing food would increase.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
10 July 2025
Verb
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To buy reefs a little extra time, scientists are breeding both algae and corals to withstand more heat; some of this work is taking place in Florida.—
Rafe Pomerance,
Sun Sentinel,
6 July 2025
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They are also bred with other species to help select for cold tolerance or inflorescence (flower cluster) shape.—
Dr. Nick Goltz,
Hartford Courant,
5 July 2025
Verb
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The companies that adapt and innovate in this new environment, not those that try to rekindle old habits, will be the ones that succeed.—
Garth Friesen,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
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Yes, the Astros have adapted well after an offseason of upheaval.—
The Athletic MLB Staff,
New York Times,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Domesticate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/domesticate. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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