Synonym Chooser

How does the noun dominion contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dominion are authority, command, control, jurisdiction, power, and sway. While all these words mean "the right to govern or rule or determine," dominion stresses sovereign power or supreme authority.

given dominion over all the animals

When might authority be a better fit than dominion?

While the synonyms authority and dominion are close in meaning, authority implies power for a specific purpose within specified limits.

granted the authority to manage her estate

When could command be used to replace dominion?

The words command and dominion are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, command implies the power to make arbitrary decisions and compel obedience.

the army officer in command

When can control be used instead of dominion?

Although the words control and dominion have much in common, control stresses the power to direct and restrain.

you are responsible for the students under your control

Where would jurisdiction be a reasonable alternative to dominion?

In some situations, the words jurisdiction and dominion are roughly equivalent. However, jurisdiction applies to official power exercised within prescribed limits.

the bureau having jurisdiction over parks

When is power a more appropriate choice than dominion?

The words power and dominion can be used in similar contexts, but power implies possession of ability to wield force, authority, or influence.

the power to mold public opinion

When would sway be a good substitute for dominion?

The synonyms sway and dominion are sometimes interchangeable, but sway suggests the extent of exercised power or influence.

the empire extended its sway over the region

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 dominion The genre so long seen as the dominion of white males melted the identity divide into the energy of the crowd. Chris R. Morgan, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2025 Ukraine does not want to agree to any recognition of Russian dominion over occupied lands, but might accept a freezing of the effective border along the current military front lines running through four southeastern provinces. Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2025 Humanity’s mandate to exercise dominion implies experimenting with every arena of creation, soil science, finance, neurology, and now neural networks, while refusing to idolize any fragment of that creation. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2025 Another recurring element in human history is dominion. Davide Sartini, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dominion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dominion
Noun
  • Not long after Scopely set out on this path, then-Disney execs Tim O’Brien and Javier Ferreira joined Driver in his quest for mobile-gaming domination.
    Jennifer Maas, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Morgan Pope continued her domination of the game and further cemented herself as the favorite to win season 27.
    Christopher Kuhagen, jsonline.com, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This is a sister organization to the Heritage Foundation, the think tank behind Project 2025—a sweeping conservative policy blueprint aimed at reshaping the federal government by expanding presidential power, dismantling parts of the civil service, and rolling back regulations across agencies.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Additional revelations hint of Kiri's evolving powers, the menacing Quaritch bonding with Varang to help defeat the Na'vi, a spectacular air/sea clash between the Ash People, the RDA, and the Na’vi, and Spider threatening to kill someone offscreen.
    Jeff Spry, Space.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • China has rapidly modernized its navy and air force, adding aircraft carriers, advanced destroyers, and long-range missiles to challenge US dominance in the western Pacific.
    Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters have been Co-CEOs there since 2023, presiding over a period of share price growth and continued dominance in streaming despite initial skepticism about the dual arrangement.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette maintains full editorial control over this article and all other coverage.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Going forward, the chain may need to hire a police detail to traffic control, the chief said.
    Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Their emergency request for a temporary restraining order (TRO), filed September 29, argues that the administration has exceeded its legal authority and jeopardized both state sovereignty and public safety.
    Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Beginning with the Haitian internment in 1991, Washington seized on Guantánamo’s ambiguous sovereignty to illegally and indefinitely detain asylum-seekers.
    Miriam Pensack, The Dial, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The executive branch has historically had large sway in using its spending powers during a shutdown, which led Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and nine more Democrats to join their GOP colleagues in voting to keep the government open.
    Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Feelings sometimes have more sway than facts.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In contrast, they were considered right-wing if they were propelled by racial supremacy, misogyny or opposition to liberal agendas.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Again, multiple collectives competing against each other was an issue all over the country, including at Penn State’s main competition for Big Ten supremacy.
    Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But during its reign, the Byzantines were known to use Greek fire in battle, particularly at sea where it was employed to set enemy ships ablaze, experts say.
    Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Currently, Mysterio is in his first reign as the WWE Intercontinental Champion.
    Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dominion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dominion. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

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