as in authoritarian
fond of ordering people around
the younger children in the family were controlled by a domineering older sister
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of domineering
Alex Mayyasi, NPR, 23 Sep. 2025
Managers often grow more assertive (sometimes drifting into domineering).
—Dave Winsborough, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Cappellazzo could be domineering.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
His Victor is the product of a coddling mother (Mia Goth), who dies young and leaves him emotionally adrift, and a domineering father (Charles Dance), who molds him into a brilliant but heedless inventor.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for domineering
Verb
But as Blitzer points out, the Magnificent 7's domineering influence does not mean the S&P 500 is broken.
—Alex Mayyasi, NPR, 23 Sep. 2025
Managers often grow more assertive (sometimes drifting into domineering).
—Dave Winsborough, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Cappellazzo could be domineering.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
His Victor is the product of a coddling mother (Mia Goth), who dies young and leaves him emotionally adrift, and a domineering father (Charles Dance), who molds him into a brilliant but heedless inventor.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for domineering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for domineering
Adjective
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There’s a moving moment of magnanimity, which won’t be given away here, that proves the underlying dignity of a people broken by an authoritarian state.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
24 Oct. 2025
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The plot of His Dark Materials is driven by the long-running conflict between Pullman’s heroine, a bold, lithely intelligent 11-year-old named Lyra, and the Magisterium, an authoritarian incarnation of Christianity.—
Lev Grossman,
The Atlantic,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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China is currently dominating the open-source AI space, according to Andreessen Horowitz’s Anjney Midha.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
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The Miami Dolphins pulled off a massive bounce-back win against the Atlanta Falcons, dominating the day with a final score of 34-10.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Three or four decades ago, the newspaperman was appealingly raffish—at once a bum who drank too much and a knight-errant who charged unafraid at social injustice, succored the weak, and crossed lances with the powerful and arrogant.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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Elsewhere, the details lifted from the book suffer in translation – Branagh’s Victor is appropriately arrogant but not adequately tortured; De Niro’s Monster is sensitive and intuitive, but drowns in the film’s hurried, hollow second half.—
Rory Doherty,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Rather than dictating rates to providers, Unity negotiates reimbursements tied to Medicare benchmarks.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
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Right now, individual Indiana counties have the authority to create ordinances dictating regulations on solar and wind project developments.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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However, while Noah and Joanne encounter many naysayers about their love — particularly Noah's overbearing mother — that wasn't true for the real-life couple.—
Maggie Kreienberg,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
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The founders, responding to anti-Federalist anxieties about an overbearing central government, added this language to emphasize that the new government possessed only limited powers.—
Andrea Katz,
The Conversation,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Now, the Franciscan missionaries oppressing the Native Americans in the painting had arrows piercing their heads and bodies.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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On the second take, Russell’s bossy tone rubbed up nicely against the neediness of the moment.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
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The Boy Is Mine Tour kicking off next month, many fans were curious to know if the duo would ask concertgoers to adapt a certain dress code, with the pair coming up with a bossy suggestion that speaks to their positions in the music game.—
Jessica Bennett,
VIBE.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Domineering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/domineering. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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