dominance
noun
dom·i·nance
ˈdä-mə-nən(t)s 
ˈdäm-nən(t)s
1
: the fact or state of being dominant: such as
a
sociology
: controlling, prevailing, or powerful position especially in a social hierarchy (see hierarchy sense 4)
male dominance
political dominance
companies competing for dominance in the market
dominance over their rivals
b
genetics
: the property of one of a pair of alleles or traits that suppresses expression (see expression sense 1b(4)) of the other in the heterozygous condition
c
ecology
: the influence or control over ecological communities exerted by a dominant (see dominant entry 2 sense 2b)
2
biology
: functional (see functional sense 1b) asymmetry between a pair of bodily structures (such as the right and left hands)
right brain dominance
Examples of dominance in a Sentence
although Napoléon had achieved dominance over the European continent, Great Britain still ruled the waves
the professor's dominance in the field of ancient Greek history
Recent Examples on the Web
In the future, another language – or no language at all – might rise to dominance.
—
Nicholas Green, The Conversation, 3 June 2025
Reliance on China China’s dominance in the global drug supply chain is part and parcel of its position as the world’s factory.
—John Liu, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
Some exert control through violence, some through financial dominance, and others through the threat of divorce and social isolation.
—Trickleup, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
But as the final round played out, Griffin couldn't keep up with Scheffler's steady dominance.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dominance
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Nicholas Green, The Conversation, 3 June 2025
Reliance on China China’s dominance in the global drug supply chain is part and parcel of its position as the world’s factory.
—John Liu, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
Some exert control through violence, some through financial dominance, and others through the threat of divorce and social isolation.
—Trickleup, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
But as the final round played out, Griffin couldn't keep up with Scheffler's steady dominance.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dominance
Cite this Entry
“Dominance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dominance. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dominance
noun
dom·i·nance
ˈdäm-(ə-)nən(t)s
: the fact or state of being dominant: as
a
: the dominant position of an individual in a series of social ranks or levels
b
: the property of one of a pair of alternate forms of a gene or character that prevents or masks expression of the other when both are present in the heterozygous condition
c
: the control or influence over the environment of an ecological community that a dominant has
d
: greater activity and usage of one of a pair of body parts (as the right hand compared to the left hand)
Medical Definition
dominance
noun
dom·i·nance
ˈdäm(-ə)-nən(t)s
: the fact or state of being dominant: as
a
: the relative position of an individual in a social hierarchy compare pecking order
b
: the property of one of a pair of alleles or traits that suppresses expression of the other in the heterozygous condition
c
: functional asymmetry between a pair of bodily structures (as the right and left hands)
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