dominate

What it means

1. To govern, rule or control by superior authority or power.

   1 more example

   The title of this article evokes memories of the beginning of World War II and reveals one method dictators use to increase their power. In China’s case, Xi Jinping’s Anschluss of Hong Kong in June 2020 fits nicely with the way Hitler began his initial European expansion strategy, called Lebensraum (living space). In Zweites Buch, Hitler said that to dominate the world, Germany must expand its borders and areas it controls. The first way to start achieving Lebensraum would be through Anschluss — the unification of Austria and Germany. Further, he envisioned an expansion that would include Poland, Czechoslovakia, the rest of Europe and Russia.

   2021 March 15, Guermantes Lailari, “The Lebensraum Factor in Xi Jinping’s Strategy for Hong Kong and Taiwan”, in Jewish Policy Center, archived from the original on 05 Apr 2021

   Antonyms: obey, submit

2. To exert an overwhelming guiding influence over something or someone.

   1 more example

   THE THREE DOMINANT FORMS IN METALSMITHING […] At present, there are but three basic volumetric forms dominating the work of metalsmiths, the spherical (usually in its most practical form, the domical), the cylindrical, and the cubical. […] The possibilities for further variations on them are all but exhausted, there being little chance to express new and unusual ideas within the framework of such limited choices. As a result, much of twentieth-century metalsmithing has relied on surface enrichment rather than formal development for its originality.

   1978, Heikki Seppä, Form Emphasis for Metalsmiths, [Kent, Oh.]: Kent State University Press, →ISBN, page 1

   Antonyms: obey, submit

3. To enjoy a commanding position in some field.

   Individual mistakes proved costly for Wigan who, particularly after the half-time introduction of Hugo Rodallega, dominated for long periods.

   2011 October 15, Michael Da Silva, “Wigan 1 - 3 Bolton”, in BBC Sport

   1 more example

   Halogen dominates standard bulb shipments, the association reported, representing almost half of the total, followed by CFLs at about 27 percent, a share that is on the decline.

   2016 February 1, Diane Cardwell, “G.E. to Phase Out CFL Bulbs”, in The New York Times

In a sentence

Individual mistakes proved costly for Wigan who, particularly after the half-time introduction of Hugo Rodallega, dominated for long periods.

2011 October 15, Michael Da Silva, “Wigan 1 - 3 Bolton”, in BBC Sport

Where it comes from

1. Latindominātus
2. Englishdominate

Borrowed from Latin dominātus, perfect active participle of dominor (“to rule, have dominion”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from dominus (“lord, master”) + -or (verb-forming suffix).