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
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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
Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 12 Nov. 2024
The people who dominate these institutions demographically also tend to share the dominant ideologies.
—Sean Illing, Vox, 9 Nov. 2024
Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 27 Oct. 2024
In August, Forbes reported that over the past four years, Iran has become more energy dominant, cash rich, and globally influential.
—Dipka Bhambhani, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dominant 
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Adjective
Ninety percent of them believe that knowing the dominant muscle-fiber type of an athlete is useful for optimizing training and performance—but only half of them claim to actually know which of their athletes are slow-twitch or fast-twitch.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 12 Nov. 2024
The people who dominate these institutions demographically also tend to share the dominant ideologies.
—Sean Illing, Vox, 9 Nov. 2024
Noun
Has been jump-off-the-screen dominant on occasion and has recovered two fumbles — both in 49ers’ wins.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 27 Oct. 2024
In August, Forbes reported that over the past four years, Iran has become more energy dominant, cash rich, and globally influential.
—Dipka Bhambhani, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dominant
Dictionary Entries Near dominant
Cite this Entry
“Dominant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dominant. Accessed 26 Nov. 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
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