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
Rabbits were first domesticated so monks could eat their fetuses. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026 Dogs were likely domesticated more than 14,000 years ago, a new study published this week found. — Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 27 Mar. 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 Honey bees were domesticated to serve farms, and the fates of beekeepers and US agriculture became tightly intertwined. — Literary Hub, 27 May 2026 But the semiaquatic rodents are only reluctantly domesticated. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 22 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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for domesticated
  1. tame
  2. cultivated
  3. domestic
  4. trained
  5. bred
  6. used
  7. propagated
  8. utilized
Adjective
  • But a sprawling 1,000-year-old site unearthed in Denmark shifts the focus from raids and conquests to a far tamer pursuit — the textile production that likely made those expeditions possible.
    — Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • Jorgen Strand Larsen should have given his side hope at 3-1 but saw his tame penalty saved by Mike Maignan before Desire Doue headed home France’s fourth late on.
    — The Athletic Soccer Experts, New York Times, 27 June 2026
Definition of tame
Verb
  • But the star has cultivated a loyal collective of her favorite brands, including Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Stella McCartney and Area (recall her famous Super Bowl jeans).
    — Morgan Evans, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • The one-person filmmaker averages 3 million views per episode and has cultivated a YouTube audience of 500,000.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Definition of cultivated
Adjective
  • Kyiv has also stepped up long-range drone and missile strikes inside Russia, targeting energy, military and logistics infrastructure, demonstrating the progress Ukraine has made in developing domestic strike capabilities.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 6 July 2026
  • Ritolia estimates Russian gasoline production is currently running at around 20% below domestic demand because of the Ukrainian strikes, with refinery runs (the amount of crude oil refineries are processing) at multi-year lows.
    — Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Definition of domestic
Verb
  • Instead, it was trained to do various goal celebrations, including ones by Haaland and Harry Kane.
    — Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • Many have worked and trained alongside each other for years, forming bonds that transcend cultures and languages.
    — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of trained
Verb
  • There are both yellow and red tomato varieties bred for heat tolerance, with smaller cherry and plum varieties generally handling high temperatures better than larger varieties.
    — The Spruce, The Spruce, 28 June 2026
  • The rash was much milder in mice bred with defective itch-sensing nerve cells.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 June 2026
Definition of bred
Verb
  • The Hyundai Motor Company used one of the world’s largest sporting stages to showcase its robotics ambitions.
    — Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • For instance, in Berkeley, neighbors used CEQA — citing potential noise impact from partying students — to delay, for years, UC Berkeley’s construction of student dorms on People’s Park.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of used
Verb
  • Mature clumps can be propagated by division in spring.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 June 2026
  • But sometimes this connection is propagated within the community itself to make a salient point about a complex condition.
    — Sloane Crosley, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
Definition of propagated
Verb
  • The Royals have utilized young starters such as Luinder Avila and Stephen Kolek to fill rotation spots.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026
  • Factoring the maximum of three two-way contract slots into account when they are officially filled, that pushes the Hornets up to 19, leaving just two more spots that can be utilized in the offseason and heading into training camp.
    — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 1 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 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on domesticated

Nglish: Translation of domesticated for Spanish Speakers

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