Showing Results for "domineering"

See Also:

• present participle of domineer.

domineering

American  

[dom-uh-neer-ing] / ˌdɒm əˈnɪər ɪŋ /

adjective

1. inclined to rule arbitrarily or despotically; overbearing; tyrannical.

   domineering parents.

   Synonyms:

   oppressive, despotic, arrogant

---

domineering British  

/ ˌdɒmɪˈnɪərɪŋ /

adjective

1. acting with or showing arrogance or tyranny; imperious

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• superdomineering
  adjective
• domineeringness
  noun
• undomineering
  adjective
• nondomineering
  adjective
• domineeringly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of domineering

First recorded in 1580–90; domineer + -ing ²

Explanation

Domineering describes a person who is arrogant and bossy, like a military dictator or a supervisor who micromanages everyone at work. People who are strong-willed and overbearing can be described as domineering, like customers in a restaurant who demand things with snappy fingers. Parents who say sternly to their kids, "Because I say so, that's why," are speaking in a domineering way. The word domineering comes from the Latin root dominari, "to rule or 'lord' it over."

Related Words

• arrogant
• autocratic
• bossy
• dictatorial
• imperious
• overbearing
• tyrannical