dominating

Word family

• dominate
  verbB2
• domination
  nounB2
• dominant
  adjectiveB2
• dominance
  nounC1
• dominator
  nounC1
• predominate
  verbC1
• predominant
  adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These words all describe being at the top or ahead of others, but they differ in tone and scope. 'Dominant' is the most general and widely used adjective — it describes someone or something that is clearly the strongest, most important, or most influential in a group ('the dominant political party'). 'Dominating', the sense covered here, focuses more on the active, ongoing process of outranking others; it carries a dynamic feel rather than describing a fixed state. 'Leading' is more neutral and simply means being in first place or ahead of competitors, without the overtones of overpowering others ('the leading smartphone manufacturer'). 'Predominant' is more formal and suggests being numerically or statistically the most common element ('the predominant religion in the region'). 'Prevailing' emphasizes what is most widely accepted or adopted at a given time ('the prevailing economic theory'). Use 'dominating' when you want to emphasize active dominance; use 'dominant' for a neutral description of status.

Common collocations

Etymology

From Latin 'dominatus', past participle of 'dominari' meaning 'to rule, to have dominion over', which comes from 'dominus' meaning 'lord, master' (from 'domus' 'house'). The sense of physical height (towering above) developed later, by the 17th century, as an extension of the idea of being in a commanding position.