dom·i·nant
ˈdä-mə-nənt 
ˈdäm-nənt
1
a
: commanding, controlling, or prevailing over all others
the dominant culture
b
: very important, powerful, or successful
a dominant theme
a dominant industry
the team's dominant performance
2
: overlooking and commanding from a superior position
a dominant hill
3
: of, relating to, or exerting ecological or genetic dominance
dominant genes
dominant and recessive traits
4
biology
: being the one of a pair of bodily structures that is the more effective or predominant in action
dominant eye
used her dominant hand
dominantly
adverb
1
music
: the fifth tone of a major or minor scale (see scale entry 5 sense 1)
2
a
genetics
: a character or factor that exerts genetic dominance (see dominance sense 1b)
b
ecology
: any of one or more kinds of organism (such as a species) in an ecological community that exerts a controlling influence on the environment and thereby largely determines what other kinds of organisms are present
dominant conifers
c
sociology
: an individual having a controlling, prevailing, or powerful position in a social hierarchy : a dominant (see dominant entry 1 sense 1) individual in a social hierarchy
Word Icons
Synonyms
Adjective
Examples of dominant in a Sentence
Adjective
The company is now dominant in its market.
It is the dominant culture in the region.
the dominant female of the pack
Recent Examples on the Web
Matias Grez, CNN, 14 June 2024
Listen to this article Coral Springs Charter continues to churn out dominant pitchers.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 13 June 2024
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 June 2024
Jasmine Kline, Francis Scott Key, junior Kline was flat out dominant in the circle for last year’s county and regional champion Eagles.
—Timothy Dashiell, Baltimore Sun, 24 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dominant 
Adjective
Les Bleus have been one of the dominant forces in world football in recent years, winning the World Cup in 2018 and reaching the final in 2022.
—Matias Grez, CNN, 14 June 2024
Listen to this article Coral Springs Charter continues to churn out dominant pitchers.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 13 June 2024
Noun
However, the dominant closer didn’t have his best stuff in the Yankees’ 5-4, series-opening loss to the Mariners, as Seattle used a ton of soft contact to score four runs in the ninth inning with Holmes on the mound.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 June 2024
Jasmine Kline, Francis Scott Key, junior Kline was flat out dominant in the circle for last year’s county and regional champion Eagles.
—Timothy Dashiell, Baltimore Sun, 24 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dominant
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dominant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near dominant
Cite this Entry
“Dominant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dominant. Accessed 27 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dominant
1 of 2 adjective
dom·i·nant
ˈdäm-(ə-)nənt
1
a
: commanding, controlling, or having great influence over all others
a dominant political figure
b
: very important, powerful, or successful
a dominant industry
2
: rising high above the surroundings
3
4
: exhibiting genetic dominance
a dominant gene
dominant traits in peas
compare recessive entry 1 sense 2
5
: of, relating to, or being an ecological dominant
dominantly
adverb
dominant
2 of 2 noun1
a
: a dominant gene or a character which it controls
b
: a kind of living thing (as a species) that has a major influence on the environment of an ecological community
2
: the fifth note of the musical scale
Medical Definition
dominant
2 of 2 noun1
: a dominant genetic character or factor
2
: a dominant individual in a social hierarchy
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share