Synonym Chooser

How is the word dominant different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of dominant are paramount, predominant, and preponderant. While all these words mean "superior to all others in influence or importance," dominant applies to something that is uppermost because ruling or controlling.

a dominant social class

When is paramount a more appropriate choice than dominant?

While in some cases nearly identical to dominant, paramount implies supremacy in importance, rank, or jurisdiction.

unemployment was the paramount issue in the campaign

When is it sensible to use predominant instead of dominant?

The words predominant and dominant can be used in similar contexts, but predominant applies to something that exerts, often temporarily, the most marked influence.

a predominant emotion

When would preponderant be a good substitute for dominant?

While the synonyms preponderant and dominant are close in meaning, preponderant applies to an element or factor that outweighs all others in influence or effect.

preponderant evidence in her favor

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 dominant More John Moore/Getty Images Her run in NXT was one of the most dominant in the brand's history. Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025 Gramsci theorizes that the dominant group in a society seeks to maintain hegemony over the status quo yet is often challenged by less powerful groups, especially in moments of crisis. The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 10 Sep. 2025 These emerging movements, driven largely by youth culture, reflect a stark departure from the dominant quiet luxury and size inclusive mindsets of just a few years ago. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 8 Sep. 2025 However, he’s graded out as a below-average defender at first base with below-average range, though his dominant bat makes up for it. Jim Bowden, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dominant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dominant
Adjective
  • The character collection leans into more alternate builds for main characters.
    Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Use jig and pigs 18 to 25 feet deep along brush piles or main lake points with a gradual slope.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Advertisement Lee grew up near Manchester’s Christ Church of the Church of England, but struggled to understand their beliefs, never fitting in with the predominant religion.
    Barry Levitt, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Should contempt become the predominant way that two partners communicate with one another, one or both will eventually reach a breaking point.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Last week, Reuters reported that Pulte’s own father and stepmother had declared two homes in two different states as their primary residence, prompting a town in Michigan to remove a tax exemption for their home there and charge the couple for back taxes.
    Chris Prentice, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
  • But today, technology was not his primary concern.
    Elie Ofek, Harvard Business Review, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • In 1951, Husseini’s associates murdered one of his foremost rivals, King Abdullah of Jordan.
    Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.
    Ryan Hohman, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Housed in a tube that’s significantly bigger than most brow gels, the fatter, curved side of the spoolie brush applies the product and fluffs up brows, while the flat side arranges arches.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Save from isolated slip-ups, all addressed by and mended with the captain, there were no big issues.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Across industries, companies are under pressure to improve efficiency, scale effectively, meet rising customer expectations and keep pace with evolving regulations—all of which demand leading-edge technology.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Studio executives had realized that audiences actually loved big comedic films starring actors who weren’t traditional leading-man material.
    Adrienne LaFrance, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The first pair, Wild Life (1440p) and Wild Life Extreme (4K), uses the Vulkan graphics API to measure GPU speeds.
    Charles Jefferies, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The first hepatitis B vaccine was licensed in 1981, and the ACIP recommended a vaccine dose universally for all babies in 1991.
    Dr. Jade Cobern, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dominant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dominant. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on dominant

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