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 The centrist liberal alliance is expected to take around 16 seats, while the once-dominant VVD— led at the time by now NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, is polling near 15 seats down sharply from 24 in 2023. Callum Sutherland, Time, 28 Oct. 2025 That includes Sunday’s dominant 44-24 win at Empower Field at Mile High. Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025 In the Champions League last week, Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany started Konrad Laimer (right-footed) and Raphael Guerrero (left) at full-back, but on the opposite side to their dominant foot. Liam Tharme, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025 In a complaint filed in 2023, Gannett and the other plaintiffs accused Google of violating federal antitrust laws by abusing its dominant position to control and profit from the technology used by publishers to buy and sell ads across the internet. Usa Today, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dominant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dominant
Adjective
  • His officials at the time, including Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Deputy National Security Adviser Matt Pottinger, made Beijing their main priority.
    Mira Rapp-Hooper, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Reinhart, Apa, Petsch, and Mendes were four of only six Riverdale main cast members to stay on for the full series run.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • That confident tight-wire act, with its time shifts and various mini-characterizations, was a useful precedence for her here as the predominant presence in this three-performer, intermissionless piece.
    Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Aspen groves are not as predominant here and hikers will find a wider array of colors due to the range of deciduous tree varieties fed by additional moisture from springs and creeks.
    Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Two guest bedrooms can be found downstairs, while four more upstairs bedrooms include a secluded primary retreat that comes with a fireplace, a dressing room, and dual baths.
    Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025
  • This corner room offered the perfect view to keep watch over Main Street and the primary north-south international highway.
    Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Goodall was seen as the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees after spending decades studying them in the wild in Tanzania's Gombe Stream National Park.
    Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The 2019 Nationals aren’t even the foremost road warriors of the last few years.
    Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The formation of this new military service is the biggest signal yet that the United States is preparing to deter wars in space and, in the worst-case scenario, fight them.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
  • This is the web version of Fortune Tech, a daily newsletter breaking down the biggest players and stories shaping the future.
    Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In addition to her fashion business, Doble serves as an ambassador for Project Zero, leading initiatives focused on coral reef conservation and sustainable fashion practices.
    Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Her appointment comes at a time where, amid a flurry of changes among industry leadership, few women have been charged with leading menswear divisions.
    Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • There to see Lajo off, Hamida meets her brother for the first time since her own abduction.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The appearance marked the first time Caitlyn has appeared on the Hulu reality series, which premiered in 2022 after Keeping Up with the Kardashians concluded.
    Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dominant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dominant. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

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