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
Though cocoa was first domesticated in Peru and Ecuador, and has been grown across Latin America for millennia, the majority of the world’s cocoa now comes from West Africa. — Alfredo Sosa, Christian Science Monitor, 22 Aug. 2026 Believed to have been domesticated thousands of years ago in parts of Africa and India, sesame is now grown throughout many warm regions of the world, including India, Sudan, Myanmar, China and several countries across the Middle East. — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026 But centuries of casual display has domesticated the image of the cross. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for domesticated
  1. tame
  2. cultivated
  3. domestic
  4. trained
  5. bred
  6. used
  7. propagated
  8. utilized
Adjective
  • Thursday's print follows a tame reading on consumer inflation, with the consumer price index coming in line with economist expectations.
    — Sean Conlon,Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Here are 10 great, comparatively tame stunts to introduce your kids to the cringe-inducing fun of Jackass… but make sure there’s a spot behind the couch handy with which to hide, just in case.
    — Tim Grierson, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of tame
Verb
  • According to organizers, the lineup represents a mix of projects that have already gained recognition at major festivals such as Sundance and South by Southwest, along with films cultivated locally.
    — Denis Akbari, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Over the past decade, Blank Forms has cultivated relationships with dozens of artists working across disciplines, engaged in experimental practice and cultural preservation.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of cultivated
Adjective
  • Ukraine’s domestic missile production has not stood still, however.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The combination of the conference, robotics competition and growing investment in Chinese manufacturers highlights the country’s ambition to build a broad domestic robotics ecosystem.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of domestic
Verb
  • This is powerful stuff and there needs to be a coordinated rollout specific to entire teams where everyone gets trained and then together use these applications consistently, rather than going rogue.
    — Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • She’s gotten trained in the Neil Peart school of drum fill writing and rhythm writing.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of trained
Verb
  • Knightsbridge is owned and bred by Godolphin, founded by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoun.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Conspiracy theories — of euthanasia, of sterilization, of American bad intentions involving CIA spies, of viruses bred in pig cells (for those who kept Halal) or monkey cells (to Hindus for whom the macaque is sacred) — were common.
    — Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of bred
Verb
  • The technology, used in all Metro Nashville Public Schools, didn’t spot the weapon because the shooter wasn’t close enough to cameras for the system to get an accurate read and activate the alarm, the district said.
    — Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The Fever used a 13-2 run to open a 71-60 lead in the third quarter.
    — Jay Cohen, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of used
Verb
  • Social-media commentators have propagated conspiracy theories about the case, including a theory that Pat himself committed the killings.
    — Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Any trimmings that contain at least one leaf node can be propagated into new plants.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of propagated
Verb
  • Last year, Maye was one of the league's most efficient passers and utilized his legs well, albeit against a weak schedule.
    — Austin Mock, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Fry utilized this past offseason to complete his transformation into a defensive back.
    — Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 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 26 Aug. 2026.

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