domesticated 1 of 2

adjective

də-ˈme-sti-ˌkā-təd How to pronounce domesticated (audio)
Definition of domesticatednext
as in tamed
changed from the wild state so as to become useful and obedient to humans the domesticated horses are kept in a corral

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

domesticated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of domesticate
as in cultivated
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.

Related Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of domesticated
Adjective
These inventions transformed honey bees from a largely feral species into semi-domesticated livestock that could be managed year-round, expanded, and reproduced. — Literary Hub, 27 May 2026
Verb
This is because sandboxes can become infected with fecal microbes and parasites from wild and domesticated animals—including millions of free-roaming cats. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 13 July 2026 The not-so-obvious irony is that some 20,000 years ago, humans domesticated the wolf as protection from bears and lions. — Steve Searles, Mercury News, 8 July 2026 Study co-author and geologist Yolanda Fernández-Jalvo of the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Spain rules out cooking within Wonderwerk because fire was only opportunistically brought there—it was not domesticated yet. — Sahas Mehra, Scientific American, 19 June 2026 New genetic data indicates that cats feeding off the abundant rodents plundering human food stores domesticated themselves for similar reasons around 10,000 years ago. — Shoshi Parks, Popular Science, 10 June 2026 Honey bees were domesticated to serve farms, and the fates of beekeepers and US agriculture became tightly intertwined. — Literary Hub, 27 May 2026 While domesticated pigs were sustainable, low-maintenance food sources, TPWD notes the pigs were left behind as explorers moved across the continent, thus leading to those pigs becoming feral. — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026 Hedgehogs, while not a common pet, can be domesticated and are known for their cute appearance, quiet nature and small space requirements. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026 Rabbits were first domesticated so monks could eat their fetuses. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for domesticated
  1. tame
  2. cultivated
  3. domestic
  4. trained
  5. bred
  6. used
  7. propagated
  8. utilized
Adjective
  • The maintenance fees are also pretty tame at $1,164 a month, and other listings in the building describe an amenity spread that includes a live-in super, a bike room, and a storage locker.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 20 July 2026
  • Ceremonia, meanwhile, has bottled its popular gel into a small tube to tame hair on the go.
    — Jackie Fields, PEOPLE, 19 July 2026
Definition of tame
Verb
  • The endorsements demonstrate the credibility Nixon has cultivated with fellow Democrats in Florida, even as donors flock toward Vindman.
    — Shauna Muckle, Miami Herald, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Named for nebbia, the Italian word for the heavy layer of fog that settles over the vineyards around harvest time in early autumn, Nebbiolo has been cultivated in Piedmont for more than 750 years.
    — Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of cultivated
Adjective
  • The Mutiara Sentosa 2 serves the Surabaya-Makassar route, a voyage that typically takes around 40 hours and is primarily used by domestic travelers and cargo transport between the islands of Java and Sulawesi.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Set the boundary, handle one domestic loose end, then choose joy without dragging guilt behind you.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of domestic
Verb
  • The team isn’t happy about staying behind while the boss risks life and limb, but as Cody points out, none of them are trained for the type of warfare being waged on this front.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Systemic change requires managers trained in inclusive leadership and transparent data on gender equity.
    — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of trained
Verb
  • Scarce cultural assets are born organically, not bred artificially, and these assets are where pricing power lives.
    — George Wells, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • The animal, fizzing with the inexhaustible energy of a creature bred for hauling chockablock toboggans, was confined to a tiny pen, a mere twenty feet square, behind the neighbor’s trailer.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Definition of bred
Verb
  • Police set up a strike force to investigate Jones after The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported in 2023 that Jones used his position of power, first as a schoolteacher and later as a popular broadcaster, to prey on a number of young men.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The route is being used by Saudi Arabia to export oil via the Suez Canal north to Europe and down south to Asian markets as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.
    — Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of used
Verb
  • Over time, that standard propagated across the broader platform.
    — Vishal Saxena, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • This is the notion, endlessly propagated online, that white populations in modern Western countries are being replaced by brown and Black alien populations, and that this replacement is a project — commonly attributed to Jews.
    — Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2026
Definition of propagated
Verb
  • The film utilized virtual reality 3D technology in partnership with Meta Platforms and Cameron’s Lightstorm Vision.
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 30 July 2026
  • Another indicator that mental health support is disproportionately utilized across generations is found in a salary analysis.
    — Mark C. Perna, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of utilized

Browse Nearby Words

domesticate
domesticated
domesticates
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Cite this Entry

“Domesticated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/domesticated. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on domesticated

Nglish: Translation of domesticated for Spanish Speakers

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