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Synonyms

dominate

American

[dom-uh-neyt] / ˈdɒm əˌneɪt /

verb (used with object)

to rule over; govern; control.
to tower above; overlook; overshadow.

A tall pine dominated the landscape.
to predominate, permeate, or characterize.
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.
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)

to rule; exercise control; predominate.
to occupy a commanding or elevated position.

dominate British

/ ˈdɒmɪˌneɪt /

verb

to control, rule, or govern (someone or something)
to tower above (surroundings, etc); overlook
(tr; usually passive) to predominate in (something or someone)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

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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."

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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.

If Anderson can reproduce anything close to his Forest levels in a City side that expects to dominate possession every week, the record fee may soon look far less remarkable than it does today.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2026

Political party spending used to dominate election cycles, with parties sometimes even outspending their own candidates.

From Salon • Jul. 2, 2026

The combined dividend obligations on MicroStrategy’s various preferred shares are substantial—a heavy burden for a company whose legacy software business generates relatively little revenue, leaving its massive Bitcoin hoard to dominate the balance sheet.

From Barron's • Jun. 22, 2026

A diving board juts into the frame to dominate the right corner.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026

Or sometimes they made up little nicknames to dominate us.

From "Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice" by Phillip Hoose

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023