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 In a place built on stretching human limitations, where people exert dominion over everything from fertility to outer space, even turning mortality into a business opportunity, the divine has seemed, to some, obsolete. Emma Goldberg, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2025 Kanye West goes on another antisemitic rant, defends Diddy, declares ‘dominion’ over wife. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2025 Dramatically, the buildup to this state of unchecked dominion is more taut than the fallout, largely because Grabowsky’s fine, watchful performance contributes much of the tension as Rakel’s sheer powerlessness begins to dawn on her. Guy Lodge, Variety, 8 Feb. 2025 Reclaiming our attention is a means of reclaiming our dominion over ourselves. Stuart Miller, Orange County Register, 3 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dominion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dominion
Noun
  • By the early 2000s, Tiger Woods domination transformed the economics of the sport.
    Mike Dojc, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
  • That period of domination in the ’70s and ’80s was still so fresh in everyone’s mind.
    Oliver Kay, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Hugo saw that something as simple as shoes could be solved with the right approach and insights, cementing his belief in the power of technology to solve real-world problems.
    Jason Phillips, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Earlier this month, it was revealed that Massive Entertainment's ambitious action-adventure game would be coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025, which speaks well about the raw graphical power of Nintendo's new hybrid console.
    Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Williams flashes dominance as a run defender and upside as a pass rusher, while Ratledge is going to start 10 years in the league.
    Dane Brugler, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
  • In the following months, Modi’s government introduced a series of extraordinary initiatives meant to solidify Hindu dominance.
    Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The Hanged Man asks you to fully surrender control and embrace this chapter of stillness.
    Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 May 2025
  • That proposal would see Moscow de facto control parts of the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk and Donetsk regions that Russia occupies but does not fully control.
    Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The country's current head of state, President Joseph Aoun, is an independent who has both called for Hezbollah to disarm and for Israel to respect Lebanese sovereignty.
    Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Leaders of Ukraine, meanwhile, are pushing to maintain independence and sovereignty.
    Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Sometimes international relations fell under the sway of a powerful hegemon—or of outright imperialism, where a single state, such as Rome, or an outside invader, such as the Ottoman empire, dominated its neighbors and provided them with security.
    Margaret MacMillan, The Atlantic, 30 Apr. 2025
  • At one point in the play, young, brainwashed Henry, under the villainous Brenner’s sway, can only surrender to the dark magic.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • In the battle for NHL supremacy in Florida, the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning continue their best-of-seven first-round series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday in Game 5.
    Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
  • Many of the world’s biggest rap stars no longer value lyrical supremacy, and the artists who covet their pen can’t capture the world’s attention like Drake and Lamar’s beef did.
    Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The story of Kaabu's royalty and reign has been told for generations through the songs of griots.
    Ari Daniel, NPR, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Wojtyła took the regnal name after his predecessor, Pope John Paul I, who passed away only a month into his reign as the sovereign of Vatican City.
    Gabriele Regalbuto, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dominion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dominion. Accessed 6 May. 2025.

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