dominance

/ˈdɒmɪnəns/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdɑːmɪnəns/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdä-mə-nən(t)s ˈdäm-nən(t)s/ (ame, mw)

dominance — noun

1. the state of being the most important, powerful, or successful person or thing i

1.名詞B2
釋義

the state of being the most important, powerful, or successful person or thing in a particular area or situation.

例句

Mayumi's dominance in the world of classical piano earned her invitations to perform across Europe.

noun + 'in' + field of expertise

The company built its dominance in solar technology through years of careful research.

同義詞
  • supremacy

    stronger than dominance — suggests being the absolute highest, often with no close rival

  • pre-eminence

    more formal; emphasises being outstandingly good or respected rather than forceful

  • ascendancy

    suggests a rising or growing position of power, often over rivals

反義詞
  • inferiority

    the state of being lower in rank, quality, or importance

常見錯誤

❌The company has dominance on the market.
✅The company has dominance in the market.
💡Use 'in', not 'on', when referring to a field or industry.
❌Her dominance over the competition was obvious.' (grammatically correct but)
✅Her dominance of the competition was obvious.
💡Both 'over' and 'of' are used, but 'dominance of' is more common when referring to a field or group.

2. the act of controlling or commanding others, often by using force, strength, or

2.名詞B2
釋義

the act of controlling or commanding others, often by using force, strength, or a strong personality.

例句

The alpha wolf kept its dominance through quiet threats rather than actual fights.

animal behaviour: social hierarchy

Devika's dominance in team meetings came from her ability to stay calm when tensions rose.

同義詞
  • authority

    focuses on the right to command, not necessarily through force

  • control

    more about direct power over someone's actions; less about status

  • mastery

    suggests skill-based command rather than social power

反義詞
  • submission

    the act of accepting someone else's power or authority

  • subordination

    the state of being lower in rank or position

用法筆記

Often appears in the phrase 'assert (one's) dominance', describing behaviour meant to show power or authority over others.

常見錯誤

❌The manager asserted dominance on the team.
✅The manager asserted dominance over the team.
💡Use 'over', not 'on', when one person or group dominates another.

3. the property of a gene that causes a particular physical characteristic to appea

3.名詞C1
釋義

the property of a gene that causes a particular physical characteristic to appear in a living thing whenever the gene is present, even if a different version of the same gene is also there.

例句

In pea plants, the round-seed gene shows dominance over the wrinkled-seed gene.

genetics: 'shows dominance over'

Amira learned that brown eye colour has genetic dominance over blue eye colour in humans.

同義詞
  • heritability

    a broader term referring to how traits pass from parent to offspring, not specifically to the masking effect

反義詞
  • recessiveness

    the property of a gene that only produces its effect when paired with an identical copy

用法筆記

Used in genetics. The opposite concept is recessiveness. A dominant gene is typically written with a capital letter (A) and a recessive gene with a lowercase letter (a).

常見錯誤

❌Brown eyes are a dominant.
✅The gene for brown eyes is dominant.
💡The gene itself is dominant, not the physical trait that results from it.

4. the natural tendency for one side of a person's body to work better or be prefer

4.名詞C2
釋義

the natural tendency for one side of a person's body to work better or be preferred for tasks, as seen in handedness or footedness.

例句

Élise's left-hand dominance was simply a result of normal brain development.

bodily asymmetry: handedness

Doctors tested each patient for foot dominance by asking them to kick a ball.

同義詞
  • laterality

    the formal technical term for preference of one side of the body

  • handedness

    specific to hand preference; the most familiar type of bodily dominance