as in mutualistic
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Recent Examples of commensal
This process called a commensal pathway in animal domestication occurs when the animal is attracted to human settlements, instead of humans actively trying to recruit the animals.
—
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 June 2025
According to some biologists, this might show that these birds are on their way to becoming commensal with humans—benefiting from living closely alongside them—like pigeons have in urban areas.
—Jorge Garay, Wired News, 29 May 2025
Dreamtime by Simon Theuma This small, commensal shrimp almost appears to be swimming over a tapestry, but in reality, the technicolor backdrop is the body of a mosaic sea star.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Jan. 2024
Science defines the rat’s relationship to humans as commensal: an association between two species in which one benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed.
—WIRED, 7 Oct. 2023
In fact, it’s become clear that many of these commensal bacteria use the glycans studding mucin molecules as a primary source of energy.
—Diana Kwon, Discover Magazine, 9 July 2019
In commensal domestication, however, humans unintentionally create an environment that attracts the animal.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2016
These samples serve as powerful investigative tools in our pursuit to understand how certain commensal microbes can cause or serve as diagnostic readouts.
—Anthony Martin, Discover Magazine, 26 Apr. 2016
Danska’s research suggests that the composition of commensal microbes diverges in male and female mice around puberty, so something seems to happen to the bacteria around that time.
—Melinda Wenner Moyer, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2021
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 June 2025
According to some biologists, this might show that these birds are on their way to becoming commensal with humans—benefiting from living closely alongside them—like pigeons have in urban areas.
—Jorge Garay, Wired News, 29 May 2025
Dreamtime by Simon Theuma This small, commensal shrimp almost appears to be swimming over a tapestry, but in reality, the technicolor backdrop is the body of a mosaic sea star.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Jan. 2024
Science defines the rat’s relationship to humans as commensal: an association between two species in which one benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed.
—WIRED, 7 Oct. 2023
In fact, it’s become clear that many of these commensal bacteria use the glycans studding mucin molecules as a primary source of energy.
—Diana Kwon, Discover Magazine, 9 July 2019
In commensal domestication, however, humans unintentionally create an environment that attracts the animal.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2016
These samples serve as powerful investigative tools in our pursuit to understand how certain commensal microbes can cause or serve as diagnostic readouts.
—Anthony Martin, Discover Magazine, 26 Apr. 2016
Danska’s research suggests that the composition of commensal microbes diverges in male and female mice around puberty, so something seems to happen to the bacteria around that time.
—Melinda Wenner Moyer, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commensal
Adjective
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The two companies have a symbiotic relationship, according to Williams.—
Mitch Mitchell,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 June 2025
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Jakes, Calabash and Treasure Beach have all grown together over the past 24 years, a beautifully symbiotic relationship.—
Baz Dreisinger,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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As a result, teens don’t become physically dependent on it.—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
12 June 2025
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In addition to murder, authorities have charged Patino with elder or dependent adult abuse resulting in death and elder or dependent adult abuse with infliction of injury, according to court documents.—
Rick Hurd,
Mercury News,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Commensal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commensal. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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