assert dominion over

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "assert dominion over" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts discussing control, authority, or power over something or someone. Example: "The king sought to assert dominion over the neighboring territories to expand his influence."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

As Scotland move ever closer towards independence, this bulky compendium suggests that it was a big mistake to assert dominion over a land so well stocked with spooks, witches and demons.

Independent

Sara, formidable and domineering, had seen to the installation of connecting doors to the second-floor drawing room and the childrens' bedrooms on the fourth floor, allowing her to assert dominion over the fledgling household.

The New York Times

Police violence is seen throughout, in unjustified and brutal stops of black men guilty of nothing — essentially, charged with standing while black — when the police, without arresting them, proceed to handcuff them, beat them, insult them with racist epithets, intimidate them, and assert dominion over them.

The New Yorker

As U.S. officialdom has already noted with some alarm, China is aggressively seeking to assert dominion over the South China Sea between it and Japan and the Philippines.

Huffington Post

The Burger King is, of course, immune to the laws of mortal men like Barack, so Barry's scolding finger-wagging is not likely to prevent the almighty Hamburger Lord from touching down on Canadian soil, to assert dominion over all of the double-doubles and Timbits.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Hoover "boldly asserted dominion over the entire food chain in America," Whyte tells us.

The New Yorker

At the time of the Revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini was the most vocal proponent among the senior Shia clerics of velayat-e faqih, while he was opposed at the time by his peer and rival Ayatollah Abul-Qassim Khoi, who disagreed with that interpretation of Islamic law, and dissented from the urge to assert clerical dominion over civil society.

Huffington Post

From North Carolina it felt like the North was asserting unwarranted dominion over the South; was set on destroying a civilisation of hooped skirts and plantations worked by negroes that it neither cared for nor understood.

The Economist

It is to assert ultimate Israeli dominion over this Palestinian land.

The New York Times

The movie, set mainly in a South Carolina town before and after the Civil War, depicts slavery in a halcyon light, presents blacks as good for little but subservient labor, and shows them, during Reconstruction, to have been goaded by the Radical Republicans into asserting an abusive dominion over Southern whites.

The New Yorker

Annual closings are how modern owners assert their dominion.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "assert dominion over" when you want to emphasize a claim of power or authority, particularly in situations where that claim might be contested or challenged.

Common error

Avoid using "assert dominion over" in casual conversation or informal writing. It sounds overly formal and can be replaced with simpler phrases like "take control of" or "dominate."

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "assert dominion over" is a verb phrase functioning as a predicate in a sentence. It describes the action of claiming and enforcing control or authority. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "assert dominion over" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe the act of claiming or enforcing control or authority. While Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, it's best suited for formal writing and news contexts. Alternatives such as "exercise control over" can be used in less formal settings. The phrase is not very common, but when used, it carries a strong connotation of authority and power.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

exercise control over

Focuses on the act of controlling, rather than claiming authority.

establish authority over

Emphasizes establishing legitimate power.

exert influence on

Implies a more subtle and indirect form of control.

take command of

Suggests a military or leadership context.

seize power over

Highlights a forceful and often sudden acquisition of control.

dominate

A single word conveying strong control.

rule over

Implies governance and leadership.

have mastery over

Highlights skill and expertise in controlling something.

gain supremacy over

Focuses on achieving a superior position of control.

wield power over

Implies the active use of authority.

FAQs

How can I use "assert dominion over" in a sentence?

You can use "assert dominion over" to describe the act of claiming or enforcing control or authority over something. For example, "The company sought to assert dominion over its competitors through aggressive marketing."

What can I say instead of "assert dominion over"?

You can use alternatives like "exercise control over", "establish authority over", or "exert influence on" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "assert dominion over" or "assert dominance over"?

Both "assert dominion over" and "assert dominance over" are grammatically correct, but they have slightly different nuances. "Dominion" implies a more formal and established authority, while "dominance" suggests a more general state of being in control.

What's the difference between "assert dominion over" and "exercise power over"?

"Assert dominion over" emphasizes the act of claiming or declaring authority, while "exercise power over" focuses on the actual use of that authority. You assert dominion to establish a right, and then you exercise power to enforce it.