DOMINATING Synonyms: 215 Similar and Opposite Words

dominating 1 of 3

noun

as in conquest

the act or process of bringing someone or something under one's control the gradual dominating of Europe by a few ruling families

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dominating

2 of 3

adjective

as in dominant

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

as in domineering

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

dominating

3 of 3

verb

present participle of dominate

as in conquering

to bring under one's control by force of arms by 1941 Hitler had dominated much of Europe

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in overlooking

to look down on the ruined fortress dominates the town

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 dominating

Noun

The market’s focus has shifted rapidly, with gold dominating early in the year before conflict and disruption around the Strait of Hormuz drew attention to oil. — Inzamam Rashid, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026 Netflix launched in the UK in 2012 as part of its first expansion into Europe, and has since grown into one of the dominating forces in British broadcasting through shows such as Baby Reindeer, The Gentlemen and Adolescence. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026 China has one of the most dominating and diverse performances at an Olympics ever, winning a games-leading 51 golds and an even 100 overall. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026 Chrome and Silver Finishes After years of warmer metals dominating interiors, chrome and silver finishes are feeling fresh again. — Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 23 Aug. 2026 Djokovic began his professional career in 2003, quickly rising the ranks in the international tennis scene to join the likes of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as one of the most dominating players in the game. — Joyce Chen, Architectural Digest, 21 Aug. 2026 Oh, not much, except for the part where those numbers tell us this is probably the most dominating season by a starting pitcher ever. — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 Unlike human will, which can be self-serving, dominating, unjustly conditional, or confusingly unfair, God’s will is wise, loving, free, impartial, and infinitely insightful. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Aug. 2026 There isn’t a single trend dominating dealership changes this year. — Sean Tucker, AJC.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Adjective

You’re supposed to win when that happens … except that the two Dodgers starters, Shohei Ohtani and Blake Snell, were equally dominating. — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025

Verb

Many middle powers are in similarly vulnerable positions due to their deep economic dependence on the US and its powerful corporate giants dominating AI, cloud computing and capital markets. — Wal Van Lierop, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Treatments One aspect of the Clancy case that is dominating conversations is that Lindsay Clancy repeatedly sought treatment and was on numerous medications. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 28 Aug. 2026 As Honest Woman is released nearly a decade after her debut, country music is seeing a wave of women country artists dominating the charts, including Ella Langley, Megan Moroney and Stella Lefty. — Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 28 Aug. 2026 Rookie starter Nolan McLean is dominating hitters with his array of spinning pitches, and rising young starters Christian Scott and Zac Thornton have quickly captured the fanbase’s heart. — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026 The Italian machine was dominating the GT racing world, and Shelby wanted a weapon capable of taking it on at the sort of speeds where aerodynamics mattered as much as horsepower. — New Atlas, 28 Aug. 2026 Ferran Torres Torres was not the first-choice striker for Spain at the World Cup, but that did not stop him from landing the decisive blow after his team-mates had spent 106 minutes dominating Argentina without a breakthrough. — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026 The scary transition to independence Young adults living away home, without a highly structured school day with classes and extracurriculars dominating most of their time, are going to make mistakes. — Mary Frances Ruskell, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026 With Hathaway dominating the multiplex this year, now’s as good a time as any to look back on her career. — Chris Bellamy, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dominating

Noun

Thus the oceanic feeling might be the royal road to establishing a museum of affiliations, rather than the old colonialist museum of conquests.

— George Baker, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
The internationally recognized Israel, with the borders that preceded its 1967 conquests?

— David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of conquest

Adjective

His once-dominant bat has gone quiet, leading to significant fan frustration, including boos at home games despite his excellent defense.

— Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
At the time, Americans sipped one dominant style of beer, a light lager, sold by big breweries such as Coors and Anheuser-Busch.

— Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of dominant

Adjective

Will stars in the film as Phil Weston, an unremarkable family man who grew up under the thumb of his domineering dad, Buck (Robert Duvall).

— Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
That’s a little too farcical for the moment, and the final cut lands more in a place of domineering intrigue.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 13 July 2026

Definition of domineering

Verb

Organizations frequently prioritize a perfect match over assessing true capability, overlooking internal talent for development.

— Sheila Callaham, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Japan never threatened after that, struggling as Martina mixed in fastballs and curveballs to oohs and ahs from the nearly 22,000 fans who packed the bleachers and steep hill overlooking the outfield.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of overlooking

Adjective

Among the prominent figures was Tobias Adrian, Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department at the International Monetary Fund.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
The movement thereafter played a prominent role in protests across the United States and in other countries, particularly in the wake of the murders of Eric Garner in 2014 and George Floyd in 2020.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of prominent

Browse Nearby Words

dominates

dominating

domination

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Dominating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dominating. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of dominating

noun

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes