as in to cultivate
to change (a wild animal or plant) over time to make it more suited to life with or use by humans
Humans domesticated wolves to produce man's best friend.
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Recent Examples of domesticate
That means that winemakers across what is now France must have switched from domesticating wild grapes to propagating them directly—that is, cloning grapevines by taking cuttings of the plants to start new groves.
—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 24 Mar. 2026
The dark joke on both sides of the record is that fascism wasn’t defeated in World War II, only domesticated.
—Andrew Katzenstein, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026
And perhaps no one brand better exemplifies the nation's work than Track Trailer and its Tvan, a little 'drop trailer that's been domesticating the Outback for over a quarter-century.
—New Atlas, 17 Mar. 2026
To how landscape is being domesticated and regenerated, so there’s a very poetic look into what a landscape could be.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for domesticate
Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 24 Mar. 2026
The dark joke on both sides of the record is that fascism wasn’t defeated in World War II, only domesticated.
—Andrew Katzenstein, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026
And perhaps no one brand better exemplifies the nation's work than Track Trailer and its Tvan, a little 'drop trailer that's been domesticating the Outback for over a quarter-century.
—New Atlas, 17 Mar. 2026
To how landscape is being domesticated and regenerated, so there’s a very poetic look into what a landscape could be.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for domesticate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for domesticate
Verb
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Taubel believes some of the supply problems have eased as early cultivator licensees' initial plants have fully grown and are cultivated.—
Caroline Cummings,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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Reviving that legacy would mean cultivating a new trust in government—such that an official knock at the door might be expected to herald something good as opposed to a masked federal agent.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Public spaces are designed with accessibility in mind, including elevator access to all floors, and staff are trained to assist with specific requirements.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
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He was invited to train with Chelsea’s senior group for the first time soon after that.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But when a powerful capability spreads widely, mistakes propagate further and misuse gets cheaper.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
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That means that winemakers across what is now France must have switched from domesticating wild grapes to propagating them directly—that is, cloning grapevines by taking cuttings of the plants to start new groves.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Building and construction unions no longer can use their old rhetorical cudgel in this debate — calling prefab homes flimsy and unsafe.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
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Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which also activate your taillights.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This season, the Royals have utilized Falter in a different role.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
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The gadget works by utilizing a blue-violet light to attract insects, which are then zapped by a 4200-volt electric grid on contact.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This story was produced with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and donors in South Florida’s Jewish and Muslim communities, including Khalid and Diana Mirza and the Mohsin and Fauzia Jaffer Foundation, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
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Back-to-back one-out doubles from Pete Crow-Armstrong and Miguel Amaya produced the Cubs’ lone run in the third.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Debates over the fertility of mixed-race women were enmeshed in what was essentially a mass slave-breeding program in the US—reproduction as a form of population control.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
6 Apr. 2026
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Dramatically ridden by Rafael Bejarano, the Street Strategy runner gave Randy Morse the whole package in the $150,000 race for Arkansas-bred 3-year-old males Saturday at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort.—
Bob Wisener,
Arkansas Online,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That includes climbing ladders, handling tools and adapting to unpredictable environments.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
5 Apr. 2026
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And even the earthbound will feel the benefits — the myriad inventions that have been adapted for everyday use, the economic boost of the space industry, the proliferation of careers that draw young people toward science, technology and math courses.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Domesticate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/domesticate. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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