# dominate

/ˈdɑməˌneɪt/ (US) · /dˈɒmɪnˌeɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dominate
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to control or rule

verb · CEFR B2

to have power or control over a person, group, or place.

For teachers: to govern, rule, or control by superior authority or power. Transitive — requires a direct object.

- The large company began to dominate the local market, making it hard for small shops to survive.
- Throughout the nineteenth century, the empire sought to dominate the region through a combination of military presence and strategic trade alliances.

### 2. to be most important

verb · CEFR B2

to be the most noticeable or important part of something.

For teachers: to exert an overwhelming guiding influence or to be the most prominent feature in a specific context.

- The tall clock tower dominates the city skyline.
- Discussions regarding the new environmental policy are expected to dominate the upcoming summit, leaving little time for other agenda items.

### 3. to overlook from above

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to be much taller than the things around it so you can see over them.

For teachers: to overlook from a height; to have a commanding physical position over the surrounding terrain.

- The castle was built on a hill to dominate the valley below.
- The fortress was strategically positioned to dominate the mountain pass, ensuring that no army could advance without being observed.

### 4. graph theory

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

in computer science, when one point in a map must be passed before reaching another.

For teachers: to precede another node of a directed graph in all paths from the start of the graph to that node.

- In this flow chart, the start node dominates all other points in the system.
- The compiler uses a dominator tree to identify blocks of code that are guaranteed to execute before a specific branch is taken.

### 5. Roman history

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Formal

the later period of the Roman Empire when the emperors had total power.

For teachers: The late period of the Roman Empire characterized by explicit autocracy, following the more republican-styled principate.

- Historians study the Dominate to understand how the Roman government changed over time.
- The transition from the Principate to the Dominate marked a significant shift toward a more bureaucratic and ceremonial style of imperial rule.

Usage: Usually capitalized as 'the Dominate'.

## Examples

- The tall building dominates the city skyline.
- One large company began to dominate the local market, making it difficult for smaller shops to survive.
- While the younger players showed great technical skill, the veteran's physical presence continued to dominate the match, dictating the tempo and forcing the opposition into defensive errors.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.