domination
Americannoun
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an act or instance of dominating.
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rule or sway; control, often arbitrary.
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Theology. dominations, one of the nine orders of celestial attendants of God.
noun
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the act of dominating or state of being dominated
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authority; rule; control
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of domination
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin dominātiōn-, stem of dominātiō “mastery, rule,” from domināt(us) “controlled” (past participle of domināre “to master, control”; see dominate) + -iō -ion; replacing Middle English dominacioun, from Anglo-French
Explanation
Domination means total control. Most comic book villains — and a few real people, too — spend their lives in pursuit of world domination. Domination comes from the Latin word dominus, meaning "master" or "lord." This word conveys the idea not just of leadership, but of absolute, unchallengeable authority. So, just because your boss is in charge of the office doesn’t mean she engages in domination. Wait until she forces you to remove hundreds of staples by hand while she sends your coworker all the way to Costa Rica to fetch the coffee. But we hope it never comes to that.
Vocabulary lists containing domination
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 4
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Franklin Roosevelt, "Four Freedoms" (1941)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As well as the new single and tour, both Pussycat Dolls albums - PCD and Doll Domination - will be reissued with previously unreleased tracks.
From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026
“It’s great to see, man. Total team defense. Domination today.”
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 4, 2024
Next to the chain were books on male dominance in society such as Rebecca Sonit's "Men Explain Things to Me" and Pierre Bourdieu's "Masculine Domination".
From Reuters • Feb. 21, 2022
Following her four-year residency, Spears announced in January 2019 an "indefinite work hiatus," canceling her "Britney: Domination" residency that was set to begin the following month at the Park MGM resort.
From Fox News • Jan. 26, 2022
His speech was often interrupted by members of the Domination faction demanding that the President stop this lunatic, turn him out, and get on with the order of business.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
