dominate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to tower above; overlook; overshadow.
A tall pine dominated the landscape.
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to predominate, permeate, or characterize.
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Mathematics. (of a series, vector, etc.) to have terms or components greater in absolute value than the corresponding terms or components of a given series, vector, etc.
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Linguistics. (of a node in a tree diagram) to be connected with (a subordinate node) either directly by a single downward branch or indirectly by a sequence of downward branches.
verb (used without object)
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to rule; exercise control; predominate.
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to occupy a commanding or elevated position.
verb
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to control, rule, or govern (someone or something)
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to tower above (surroundings, etc); overlook
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(tr; usually passive) to predominate in (something or someone)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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dominatornoun
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redominateverb
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overdominateverb (used with object)
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dominatingadjective
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dominativeadjective
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nondominatingadjective
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undominatedadjective
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well-dominatedadjective
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dominatinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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dominatesimple
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dominatessimple
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have dominatedperfect
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has dominatedperfect
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am dominatingprogressive
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are dominatingprogressive
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is dominatingprogressive
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have been dominatingperfect progressive
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has been dominatingperfect progressive
Past
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dominatedsimple
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had dominatedperfect
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was dominatingprogressive
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were dominatingprogressive
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had been dominatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dominate
First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin dominātus, past participle of dominārī “to master, control,” from domin(us) “lord, master” + -ārī, infinitive verb suffix
Explanation
If your basketball team is undefeated, you could say that it was able to dominate the competition. To dominate means to be in control or have the power to defeat. Dominate is related to the word domain — which means home. While these words may not seem all that similar, when you are the master of a home or thing, you dominate it. If you get angry, it is wise to not let your feelings dominate you or your actions. Dominate can also mean to be most prominent. If in the woods around your house, oak trees are the most common, you could say that "oak trees dominate the forest."
Vocabulary lists containing dominate
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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.
See Examples For:
But some of those tech giants that came to represent the future growth of the economy and dominate the market are value stocks now.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
South Korean tech giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix and US-based Micron dominate the Dram market, with the three companies accounting for around 90% of global production.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
United and Delta are among four giants that have come to dominate the U.S. airline industry after a series of mergers over the past two decades.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Alonso's system has overarching principles, with the Spaniard seeking to dominate the ball and set up attacks in the opponent's half for long periods.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
His father, Kim Jong II, might never have been popular, but he had nearly twenty years to learn how to dominate his elders.
From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden
Andy Burnham, who is taking over from Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister on Monday, dominates today's papers.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
This is the area where the black hole's gravity dominates the movement of nearby material.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 18, 2026
The delayed timeline will likely leave AST SpaceMobile further behind SpaceX, which dominates with its Starlink business.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 16, 2026
But Mr. Udom’s affecting turn in the title role appropriately dominates the production.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
A large two-story building dominates the border, with a flat-roofed canopy straddling the highway.
From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell
South Korea’s Kospi index, dominated by two memory chip makers, tumbled nearly 11% overnight.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Do you long for a time before smartphones dominated our lives?
From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026
Ramsay-Peaty dominated the events under the coaching of Mel Marshall, who relocated to Australia in 2024.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
One especially important transition separated regions dominated by amyloid-β plaques from those associated with tau pathology and neurodegeneration.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
The mutt dozed in the shade of the benches and the gigantic oak that dominated the green with majestic ease.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
Antonelli is this year proving his billing as a generational talent in dominating the F1 world championship in only his second season.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
If you believe a handful of companies will keep dominating technology, invest — but still do the research yourself.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Battery manufacturing requires extensive industrial supply chains that remain concentrated in Asia, with South Africa dominating the emerging sector on the continent.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
AI companies rule the modern world, dominating the economy and shaping our daily decision-making.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
It’d been quite a while since the last time JB had rolled over on top of Gary, the last time he’d seemed to be dominating this fight.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
