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
The team's work revealed that the ducks in the sample appear to have been intentionally fed maize as early as A.D. 800—and may have even been domesticated by around this time.
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Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
By the time that the 16th century Spanish conquered Mexico, the plant was domesticated and in use as an ornamental for various ceremonies.
—Norman Ellstrand and Nathan Ellstrand / Made By History, TIME, 23 Dec. 2024
Humans might have first domesticated wolves in Asia, Europe, the Middle East or independently in several locations.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Dec. 2024
They've been so domesticated and many popular breeds hardly look like their wild canine ancestors.
—Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for domesticate 
Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
By the time that the 16th century Spanish conquered Mexico, the plant was domesticated and in use as an ornamental for various ceremonies.
—Norman Ellstrand and Nathan Ellstrand / Made By History, TIME, 23 Dec. 2024
Humans might have first domesticated wolves in Asia, Europe, the Middle East or independently in several locations.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Dec. 2024
They've been so domesticated and many popular breeds hardly look like their wild canine ancestors.
—Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for domesticate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for domesticate
Verb
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Navigating the post-holiday period requires a delicate balance of acknowledging the emotional challenges while simultaneously cultivating a positive, proactive mindset that transforms potential workplace anxiety into an opportunity for personal and professional growth.Jack Kelly, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
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These microbes are cultivated in tanks and fed carbon feedstocks, such as sugar, to synthesize the textile dye.Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Paris has recently floated the idea of French troops in Ukraine to train, but Ukrainian media went further to speculate this might refer to the germ of a NATO peacekeeping force.Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 14 Jan. 2025
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Late last year, the U.K. opened a consultation reviewing the country’s copyright framework to assess possible exceptions to existing rules for AI developers using artists and media publishers’ works to train their models.Ryan Browne, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2025
Verb
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At the time, Facebook was severely criticized for failing to stem the flow of misinformation, including fake news propagated by foreign governments.William Gavin, Quartz, 7 Jan. 2025
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Christopher Raia, the deputy assistant director of the FBI’s counterterrorism division, said in a Thursday press conference that Jabbar posted at least five videos propagating the ideology of ISIS, which the suspect claimed to have joined last year.Brad Dress, The Hill, 2 Jan. 2025
Verb
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This is not the first time that Bad Bunny has used his platform to elevate political messaging.Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025
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The Los Angeles Dodgers roster is nearing completion for the 2025 season, but center field could use an upgrade.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
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What to Know The nationwide surge in the usage of Starlink followed a Forbes report, published in December, that noted 20,000 Iranians were utilizing the service to bypass government restrictions online and censorship.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
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The 1980s also marked the beginning of a trend in which U.S. multinationals boosted production offshore to utilize less expensive labor.Nick Sargen, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Each student designer produced 12 ensembles featured some traditional as well as creative ideas featuring sustainability and inspired designs regarding self-care and mental health.Brian T. Krista, Baltimore Sun, 11 Jan. 2025
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Budgets for big releases are ballooning out of control with games like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020) costing up to $700 million to produce.Hayes Madsen, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2025
Verb
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That relationship breeds trust, which sparks inspiration and influences behavior.Rodney Mason, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
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Most are descendants of animals that escaped from Spanish explorers, the United States Calvary, Indigenous People, or ranchers and survived to breed.Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2024
Verb
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In an interesting echo, there is a growing sense among some Israeli sources that a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities could be on the cards.John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
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Curtis named it a top pick due to its strong and growing customer base.Samantha Subin, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near domesticate
Cite this Entry
“Domesticate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/domesticate. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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