as in cultivating
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 domesticating
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
And perhaps no one brand better exemplifies the nation's work than Track Trailer and its Tvan, a little 'drop trailer that's been domesticating the Outback for over a quarter-century.
—New Atlas, 17 Mar. 2026
Lonpi Tipi added that domesticating larvae production ultimately would lead to solving problems related to access to protein- and nutrition-rich food.
—Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 20 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
Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 24 Mar. 2026
And perhaps no one brand better exemplifies the nation's work than Track Trailer and its Tvan, a little 'drop trailer that's been domesticating the Outback for over a quarter-century.
—New Atlas, 17 Mar. 2026
Lonpi Tipi added that domesticating larvae production ultimately would lead to solving problems related to access to protein- and nutrition-rich food.
—Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 20 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for domesticating
Verb
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In this ever-spiraling bipartisan war on social trust, a defensive president didn’t bother cultivating public opinion.—
Gil Troy,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
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The endowed fellowship aims to build a bridge between lab and clinical practice, cultivating leaders eager to understand the biology and clinical treatment of serious mental illness, UCLA officials said.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In getting involved with BALCO, Robbins was in a sense training his body to hit even harder, putting his brain at even more risk for further concussive injury.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Amazon is heavily involved with some of AI’s biggest players, like OpenAI and Anthropic, investing billions directly, helping distribute their services and providing tech for training their models.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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She was arraigned on charges of operating an unlicensed dog-breeding facility and wire fraud.—
J.D. Miles,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
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Only through breeding this rose with other types did vivid yellow roses — along with new hybrid colors such as apricot, orange, copper, and reddish-orange — become regular garden fare.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Here are two simple methods for propagating ZZ plants.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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Ticket holders who travel to matches using public transportation (Tri-Rail, Metrorail, Metrobus, Trolley, or Broward County Transit) will receive a $10 food and beverage credit upon arrival at Nu Stadium.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The American Meteor Society says that there was a notable increase in fireball activity in early 2026, with ten incidents until mid-March producing more than 100 witness reports apiece.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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Today, two small new volcanoes are growing out of its bay, and another one called Kolumbo — capable of producing fearsome tsunamis and clouds of suffocating gases — lurks underwater just offshore.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Advanced criminal operations take things a step further, utilizing AI to generate thousands of fake songs and millions of streams.—
Kyle Eustice,
VIBE.com,
30 Mar. 2026
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Vitello’s first three games should be taken with a grain of salt, but what most stood out against New York is that Vitello almost went the entire series without utilizing his bench.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Unseasonably warm temperatures continue to take a toll on Colorado's snowpack, raising concerns about dangerous avalanche conditions across the high country.—
Callie Zanandrie,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Past grand juries have issued reports raising awareness of shady land deals, questionable legislative appropriations and officials slow-walking public records requests.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Domesticating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/domesticating. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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